Mumbai: In a major embarrassment for the Devendra Fadnavis government in Maharashtra, a minister has been accused of rape.
Senior Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar produced a CD in the assembly, which he said contained details of allegations against the minister.
Pawar did not name the minister, who he said, belonged to one of the smaller parties that are part of the Fadnavis government.
Pawar produced the CD after legislators from the Opposition raised the issue on the floor of the House.
The NCP leader said he was not naming the minister as he had not given prior notice to him as required by House rules. “I am ready to give the CD to the speaker,” Pawar said.
According to Pawar, the woman who raised the allegations of rape was the sole breadwinner in her family and was being blackmailed by the minister.
In letters written to senior police officials and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, the woman said the minister had threatened to implicate her in a false case to silence her.
After Pawar’s intervention, Speaker Haribhau Bagade ordered a probe in the allegations against the minister.
The probe will be conducted by Minister of State for Home Dr Ranjit Patil.
The Opposition MLAs however demanded that the government make a statement on the floor of the House. However, with the government not relenting, the Opposition legislators staged a walkout.
The matter took a curious turn after Eknath Khadse, a former minister in the Fadnavis government, said the woman has withdrawn the allegations against the minister.
