Maharashtra: Former Congress leader arrested after student lodges molestation complaint

A former Congress lawmaker and Rajura municipal council president were arrested Tuesday after a complaint of molestation was lodged against them by a student of a nursing college in Chandrapur district of Maharashtra, the police said.

The Congress leader is identified as former lawmaker Subhash Dhote and the municipal council president as Arun Dhote. Subhash is president of Rajura-based Kalyan Nursing Educational Institution in which the woman was a student while Arun is its secretary, a police officer said. Subhash and Arun are cousins.

The woman had alleged that the then principal had sought sexual favours from her last year, and when she refused she was ousted from the institution, said Rajura police station inspector B M Gaigole. The woman said Subhash failed to take action on her complaint against the then principal, and that she was ousted from the institution and hostel in October last year, he said.

The complainant alleged that Subhash and Arun hired a person to watch her movements after the incident of sexual abuse of two tribal girls at a residential school in Rajura came to light in April this year, he said.

"Due to repeated stalking, the student lodged a complaint against Subhash, Arun and the former principal of the college in this connection," the officer added.

Subhash and Arun have been booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code for molestation and criminal intimidation. They were produced in the court of Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) in Ballarpur, which remanded them in police custody till May 24.

In the residential school case, police had arrested two school officials for allegedly abusing two tribal girls in April this year.

The police had also arrested two women staff members. The school, run by a private organisation, is located in Rajura tehsil.

-PTI