Police arrested a BJP worker of West Burdwan’s Kanksa on Monday night on charges of raping a minor girl, who is also the daughter of a party worker, five years ago.

Accused BJP leader Sahadeb Ghorui, also the nephew of BJP MLA from Durgapur (West) Lakkhan Ghorui, had allegedly recorded the sexual assault.

He also threatened the girl that he would upload the video clip on social media if she or her family lodged a complaint with police.

The police said Sahadeb had been absconding since the father of the victim lodged complaint against him in 2020.

The police started a case under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012, and launched search for him.

According to the complaint, Sahadeb repeatedly raped the girl, recorded the incident and threatened to put it up on social media.

Police raided his residence and party office in Amlajora village in Kanksa for several times along with an arrest warrent issued by the court but he was not traceable.

Sources said that Sahadeb came to a friend’s house in Rajbandh near Amlajora two days ago.

He was also seen at his locality taking a morning stroll.

Acting on a tip-off police arrested him and produced in court on Tuesday.

However, in the absence of a special judge, he was taken to judicial custody.

The police said he would be again produced in court on November 11.

However, Sahadeb before he was being taken to court in the police van claimed before mediapersons that he was innocent.

“I am the scapegoat of political vendetta of the Trinamool Congress and the state police. Everyone in our locality knew that I and the girl in question were in a relationship. I don’t know why or who instigated the girl and her family to lodge complaint of rape against me to the police five years ago. I have full faith in judiciary,”
he said.

His uncle, BJP MLA Lakkhan Ghorui, also echoed the same.

“Everyone in Amlajora was aware that Sahadeb and the girl were in a relationship with the consent of both the families. I don’t know what happened later. However, the law will take its own course. I have nothing more to say on this matter,” he said.

The MLA added that Sahadeb was his brother’s son. “However, I don’t have much contact with Sahadeb or my brother. I have been staying separately in Durgapur for the past 20 years,” he said.

The MLA claimed that Sahadeb did not abscond, but was in Mumbai “for treatment”. When asked if Sahadeb was in Mumbai for five years at a stretch, the MLA said: “He used to come here intermittently. Only the police know why they didn’t arrest him.”

West Burdwan Trinamool president Narendranath Chakraborty said that afew days ago that BJP MLA Ghorui and leader of the Opposition Suvendu Adhikari had been accusing them (Trinamool) of being involved in the recent gang-rape of a medical studentin Durgapur.

“The BJP leaders sat on dharna accusing us of shielding the culprits involved in the recent gang-rape of a medical student. What will say now? Will they again sit on dharna?” askedChakraborty.

Contacted for his take, Adhikari, in Durgapur to inaugurate a Jagadhatri Puja, claimed that in Bengal, BJP workers were often harassed by the policelike this.

“However, the law will take its own course,”Adhikari said.