Rape accused NCP legislator absconds

The accused, Dilip Onkar Wagh, represents the Pachora Assembly constituency in Jalgaon district. He and his personal assistant Mahesh Mali have been on the run since Thursday after an FIR was registered against them at Sarkarwada police station in Nasik.

It is learnt that Wagh had taken over Sinhgad government guest house at Nasik last Monday, when the code of conduct for the legislative by-election was on in Nasik. The code bars politicians from having access to the government guest houses, but Wagh reportedly threatened the local staff and got hold of the room there.

He had promised to give job to the young woman, who is reportedly from Pathardi in Ahmednagar district, and had summoned her to Nasik at the guest house. When she reached the guest house, the MLA allegedly raped her and later threatened her with dire consequences if she reported the matter to the police.

The victim told the police that she delayed filing complaint due to threats from the MLA. On the contrary, there are reports that she was under pressure from opposition parties to lodge the complaint.