Five persons, including a local woman BJP leader, have been arrested in Rajasthan’s Sawai Madhopur district on charges of running an alleged sex racket, which came to light following a complaint of sexual assault lodged by a minor girl with the police last month. Two government employees are also among the accused who have been arrested.
The girl, aged 17, alleged that BJP leader Sunita Verma had forced her to have physical relations with several persons between October 2019 and May 2020 and also took money, including her father’s savings, from her. The accused filmed the incident when the girl was allegedly raped for the first time in a hotel and later used the video clips to blackmail her, according to the complaint.
The BJP has removed Ms. Verma as the party’s district Mahila Morcha president after her arrest. The case against the BJP leader and her accomplices has been registered under the provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act.
More arrests likely
Sawai Madhopur Women Cell’s Circle Officer Om Prakash Solanki said on Friday that an accomplice of Ms. Verma had befriended the girl when she was returning from school. She later started sending the girl to meet several persons who allegedly raped her. The 17-year-old was allegedly assaulted more than eight times at different locations, Mr. Solanki said.
Those arrested include Sandeep Sharma, who is a clerk at Sawai Madhopur District Industries Centre, Shyoraj Meena, who is a peon in District Collectorate, and Raju Lal Raigar, an electrician.
The police were probing whether Ms. Verma had also blackmailed some other girls and forced them into the racket. More arrests could take place in the coming days in connection with the case, according to the police.
