‘Neta’ in a soup after colleague alleges sexual exploitation

NAGPUR: A 46-year-old woman has lodged a complaint of repeated sexual exploitation against a senior leader of her party blowing the lid off a prolonged episode of mental and physical harassment on the pretext of marriage, support to family and also prompt rise politically.
The accused had also supported her to organize some political programmes during his course of exploitation between January 2019 and February this year.
Though she filed the complaint on Monday, no action has been initiated by Pachpaoli police. The distraught woman is now contemplating ending her life by claiming the leader has left her family life in ruins. “I had alerted the senior leadership of the party, including a woman leader, about my exploitation but they did not take me seriously. The woman leader even giggled when I sought her assistance. I was told that such issues are not to be taken seriously,” said the woman who runs a boutique and a marriage bureau too.
The 55-year-old, against whom the complaint has been lodged, is learnt to be at the helm of the minority cell of a political outfit in power. He is also close to several senior leaders of the party.
In May 2019, the leader was booked for demanding sexual favours from a woman. He was also slapped with the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes (Prevention of Atrocity Act) by Pachpaoli police. Then too, the offence was registered against the leader after a considerable delay.
In the latest complaint, a copy of which is in possession of TOI, the woman has stated that she was introduced to the leader by a common acquaintance. He had started coming to her place on some or the other pretext. “Initially, I had no inkling about his ill-intended visits to my place. Somehow, he got to know whenever I was alone at home. In January 2019, he came to my place and forced himself upon me despite my objection,” she said.
The woman has mentioned in her complaint that the elderly leader had urged her not to approach the police after assuring to marry. The father of three children had also stated that he would soon divorce his wife.
The survivor also mentioned in the complaint that the leader had accompanied her to Deori, Bhandara, Wani and Seoni on the pretext of supporting her in her marriage bureau work. He would check into lodges with her and exploit her repeatedly at night.
The woman has also stated in the complaint that the leader had also ensured bringing her under her a spell for which he had gifted her some incense sticks and perfumes from a shrine.
Senior inspector Kishor Nagrale of Pachpaoli police station said the complaint is under investigation. “The complaint is technical in nature. We have summoned the non-applicant (leader) for inquiry and questioning. A decision would be taken in the matter after discussion with the seniors seeking their suggestions,” he said.
(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme court directives on cases related to sexual assault)