'Rapist' NCP legislator sent to police custody

Party supremo Pawar ordered MLA to surrender

Wagh represents Pachora constituency in Jalgaon district and was on the run after the alleged victim filed a complaint at Sarkarwada police station in Nasik on Thursday night.
Initially, the police were slow in taking action. The state’s home ministry is headed by R R Patil, who belongs to the NCP. But NCP supremo Sharad Pawar reportedly ordered Wagh to surrender and cooperate with the investigation.

Wagh was arrested from Bandra suburb in Mumbai by the anti-extortion cell of the Mumbai crime branch on Saturday. He was taken back to Nasik but was admitted to an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of the Nasik Civil Hospital after he complained of high blood sugar.

“I was called for interrogation so I’ve come here and surrendered myself. The investigations are on... It is definitely a political conspiracy. I have said that earlier too,” Wagh told journalists in Nasik. Wagh’s personal assistant Mahesh Mali was arrested from Nasik itself.

Soon after Wagh’s name was flashed on TV screens and newspapers, the NCP acted swiftly and suspended him from the party.

“The party has reacted quickly to the allegations. The police are investigating the case. If it comes through that he was framed then we will take him back into the party,”
Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar said.

According to police sources, Wagh and his PA had lured the young woman, who hails from Pathardi in Ahmednagar district, on the promise of giving her a job.
She was called to Nasik on the pretext of a job interview and in the guest house the legislator allegedly raped her.

The MLA claims he is being framed by his political opponents, but police sources said the victim’s preliminary medical report confirms sexual intercourse. A more detailed chemical report will confirm whether it is a case of rape.

Speculation

The incident had happened on Monday, but the victim took three days to file the case, giving rise to speculation.

She says that she was threatened by the MLA with dire consequences, while the opposition parties pressurised her to file the complaint.

“He (Wagh) told me he controlled many big organisations and he would give me a job and asked me to get my biodata along with me,” she reportedly told the police.