BJP ex-MLA Narendra Mehta booked for rape of corporator

The woman told the police that Mehta forced her into a sexual relationship and when she refused, he allegedly threatened her of dire consequences.

The Thane Rural police on Friday booked BJP former MLA Narendra Mehta for allegedly raping and harassing a 45-year-old woman corporator from Thane district. His accomplice Sanjay Tharthare was also booked for allegedly threatening the woman.

The complainant, in her statement to the police, has alleged that Mehta had been harassing her since 1999 and he was booked only after she approached the SP of Thane Rural police.

Mehta, who lost in the Assembly elections last year from Mira-Bhayandar, had quit the BJP three days ago. The next day, the woman had approached the SP of Thane Rural police. A video, in which she spoke about the harassment she had faced, has also gone viral.

The woman told the police that Mehta forced her into a sexual relationship and when she refused, he allegedly threatened her of dire consequences. She further alleged that they had got married in 2001 and have a 16-year-old son. Mehta reportedly had warned her not to tell anyone of this.

In her statement, she said: “Despite being married, Mehta got married again… He would rarely come and meet us. But whenever he came, he would force himself on me… On the other hand, when I asked him to give our son his name, he threatened to kill me.”

Mehta and Tharthare were booked on charges of rape and harassment under IPC and also the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act. “Tharthare had asked the woman to settle down in Dubai. When she refused, he threatened her… thus he has also been named in the FIR,” an officer said. The police said that the two accused are absconding.