Surat: Sarthana Police here has booked former Gujarat BJP vice president Jayanti Bhanushali in sexual abuse and rape case. City police commissioner has assigned probe into this case to Suraty city zone – 4 DCP Nila Patil. Bhanushali is former MLA from Abdasa assembly seat in Kutch. He is former Kutch district BJP president.He is also former director of Rashtriya Ispat Nigam. Bhanushali stepped down from the post of vice president of Gujarat BJP after a 21-year old girl, resident of Yogi Chowk area of Surat moved application against him making allegation of rape. Bhanushali has described this as conspiracy. Police has booked Bhanushali with formal lodging of complaint (FIR) after it found truth in complaint. Complainant girl has also handed over a pen drive to police that has a video of Bhanushali with her.

According to a complaint, complainant girl had contacted Bhanushali about one year ago for help in college admission. Bhanushali asked girl to come to Ahmedabad with all necessary documents When the girl visited Ahmedabad, Bhanushali was unavailable. After three months, Bhanushali called her. The girl alleges that she was asked to sit in car. There was a driver, Jayantibhai and another one person in car. The car was taken to a farm. While driver and another person left the car, Jayantibhai started touching complainant’s breasts. When opposed, Jayantibhai said, ‘admission would not happen like that’. Complainant alleges she was raped in car while a person standing outside the car captured the incident in video. Jayantibhai later told, the video is captured, you need to come whenever you are called for or video will be in circulation. Later complainant had to give video call in naked posture five to six times. Jayantibhai would call her to Ahmedabad frequently to have sex. In March 2018, complainant alleges she was called to Hotel Umed in Ahmedabad and had sex. Complainant alleges she was told she would have to go to other males as per instructions. She was also given death threat. On 24 April this year, some persons were sent to complainant’s home by Jayantibhai and forced her to give signature on paper under the statement that she was not knowing Jayantibhai. Later police men were sent to her home. Due to increasing difficulties over this issue, she contacted police. ‘Victim’ girl claims that she was pressurised a lot from political leaders from Surat and Gandhinagar for making compromise. Jayantibhai’s men also handed over a pen drive that has her video with Jayantibhai. The pen drive is handed over to police.

DeshGujarat