Maharashtra minister and senior NCP leader Dhananjay Munde – who was accused of rape by a Mumbai-based singer – got a big relief when the woman withdrew her complaint.
Munde (45) is the Social Justice and Special Assistance Minister in the Uddhav Thackeray-led Maha Vikas Aghadi government.
An MLA from Beed, Munde, the nephew of late BJP leader Gopinath Munde, is a close aide of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar.
Munde has been accused of rape by Renu Sharma, with whose sister Karuna Sharma he has a long consensual relationship and have sired two children.
The woman has informed the Oshiwara police that she was not keen on pursuing the case against the minister, without citing reasons for her abrupt and surprising move.
The police have now directed her to submit a formal notarized affidavit to the effect to enable the police to complete the relevant formalities in the matter.
Terming the charges as “serious”, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar preferred Munde to go through a police probe and only after that NCP would take a call on what needs to be done.
The Maha Vikas Aghadi leadership too said that Munde should face a probe without expulsion from the ministry.
BJP leader Kirit Somaiya had also filed a complaint against Munde with the Election Commission accusing him of hiding family details.
A section of BJP leadership including state BJP president Chandrakant Patil and women’s wing leader Chitra Wagh has launched a campaign against Munde.
Wagh has now demanded that the police should book the woman under section 192 of Indian Penal Code for making the false allegations against the minister, to set an example.
“All must fight against such false allegations as ultimately truth will prevail,” Hegde said.
Munde is yet to make any comments on the development.
Meanwhile, Pawar Jr said that what has happened is not good. “Yesterday she made a complaint, today she withdrew...tomorrow there may be another complaint...what to speak on this issue,” he said.
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