The accused, Vrushant Wadke, has been charged under sections 376 (rape), 420 (cheating) and 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code. (Representational/File)A worker from the MNS, claiming to be a party vibhag pramukh, was arrested by the VP Road police on Monday night for allegedly raping a woman multiple times and duping her on the pretext of offering her a ticket for the upcoming BMC elections.
The complainant, a 43-year-old woman, lives in Mumbai with her son and mother. She had separated from her husband and lost her job during the Covid-19 pandemic, said police.
The accused, Vrushant Wadke, has been charged under sections 376 (rape), 420 (cheating) and 500 (defamation) of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the FIR, the woman and Wadke came in contact in 2020 through a mutual friend. She wanted to start a new business related to food when Wadke offered to help, said an officer.
“He allegedly took her to a restaurant and told her that he wanted to divorce his wife, as she would often fight with him and ill-treat their child… He also allegedly took her to a hotel and offered to make her a party shakha pramukh,” the officer added.
The police said Wadke allegedly abused the woman between September 2021 to July 2022 on the pretext of marrying her. He allegedly raped her at different places, including a farm and hotels, the complaint stated. The police said the woman approached the police when Wadke refused to marry her recently. “She has also alleged that he had defamed her by calling her a prostitute,” said the officer.
Wadke was on Tuesday produced before the court, which remanded him in police custody.