Gujarat: BJP Vice President resigns following rape accusation

A 21-year-old woman, resident of Surat, submitted an application seeking registration of a rape case against Bhanushali to the police commissioner’s office on July 10.

The 53-year-old leader from Kutch district denied the allegation in his resignation letter sent to the state BJP president, Jitu Vaghani, and claimed it was a conspiracy to malign his image. Vaghani accepted the resignation, the BJP said in a statement.

Bhanushali had represented Abdasa Assembly constituency in Kutch from 2007 to 2012.

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“It appears that this application is a conspiracy to malign my image,” Bhanushali wrote to Vaghani on Friday. “Baseless allegations have been made against me and my family. Till the time I am cleared of the charges, I urge the party to relieve me of my responsibilities.”

The complainant submitted an application to Ahmedabad Commissioner of Police Anup Kumar Singh on July 10, seeking that a rape case be registered against Bhanushali. The woman alleged that Bhanushali raped her multiple times since November after making false promises of securing admission for her in a reputed fashion designing college. She said Bhanushali had called her to Gandhinagar, where she alleged he raped her in a moving car, threatening her with a sharp weapon. One of his assistants also shot a video of the act on cell phone with the intention of blackmailing her, she alleged in her application.

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Surat Commissioner of Police Satish Sharma said no first information report has been registered in the case yet. The complaint has been forwarded to the Kapodra police station in the city for further action, he added.No FIR has been registered in the case yet, said Surat police commissioner Satish Sharma.

“We have forwarded the application to Kapodra police station in the city for further action,” he added.

The same complainant had made similar allegations sometime back against the nephew of a former legislator, Sunil Bhanushali. However, Sunil Bhanushali alleged that the girl and her husband were demanding Rs 10-crore ransom.