The accused, a resident of Shantinagar in Bhiwandi, was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code for rape and criminal intimidation, as the alleged crime occurred when the IPC was in force.
BJP national president Nitin Nabin has pledged to change place names deemed antithetical to West Bengal's culture and address Bangladeshi infiltration if the party wins the state election.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed a rally in Jangipur, West Bengal, promising to implement the Uniform Civil Code (UCC) and addressing concerns about infiltration and demographic changes in the state.
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused the Trinamool Congress (TMC) of being 'anti-women' and obstructing the passage of the women's reservation bill in Lok Sabha. He criticised the TMC's opposition to the bill and defended the BJP's commitment to increasing women's representation in politics.
The Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing allegations against self-styled godman Ashok Kharat has detained his son for questioning and is searching for his wife in connection with multiple FIRs, including sexual assault and fraud.
Activist Anjali Damania used AI to analyse call data records of a self-styled godman, claiming potential links to political figures and unusual financial activity.
Activist Anjali Damania defends her use of AI to analyse call data records of arrested godman Ashok Kharat, amidst opposition scrutiny and allegations of illegal activity.
A Goa BJP leader has denied any connection between the party and a 20-year-old man arrested in connection with a sex scandal, clarifying that neither the accused nor his politician father are associated with the BJP.
Self-styled 'godman' and numerologist Ashok Kharat has been arrested in Nashik on charges of sexual assault and black magic, setting off a political storm. How did he manage to operate undetected for so long?
The BJP's West Bengal unit chief, Samik Bhattacharya, criticised the Trinamool Congress (TMC) government, accusing it of crushing democracy and fostering lawlessness in the state. He highlighted alleged political violence, economic decline, and disrespect for constitutional posts under the TMC's rule.
The accused allegedly drove around for several hours, threatening and raping the girl turn by turn inside the moving vehicle, they said in the complaint.
PMK leader Anbumani Ramadoss has criticised the DMK government over the law and order situation in Tamil Nadu, citing the Tuticorin rape and murder case and other incidents as evidence of police failure to monitor and prevent crimes.
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O'Brien has criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's promise of a 'white paper' on corruption in West Bengal, highlighting instances of opposition leaders joining the BJP and allegedly receiving leniency in corruption investigations.
Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil, who has been sent to Special Investigation Team custody a day ago, was on Wednesday taken for evidence collection in connection with a sexual assault case, police sources said.
This election is different. It is no longer simply about governance or welfare. It is about identity, fear, and who belongs. The BJP has successfully shifted the terms of the debate from what the government has delivered to who the real Bengali is and who is an outsider, points out Ramesh Menon.
Two more cases have been registered against self-styled godman Ashok Kharat, police said on Saturday, adding that the Special Investigation Team which conducting a probe against him has received more than 100 complaints over phone.
Nuh Police have arrested a brother and sister for allegedly attempting to extort Rs 5 lakh from a local resident by threatening to falsely accuse him of rape.
Expelled Congress MLA Rahul Mamkootathil was arrested in connection with a sexual assault case after being taken into custody from Palakkad in the small hours on Sunday, police sources said.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has accused the TMC of pursuing appeasement policies in West Bengal, urging voters to support a BJP government for inclusive governance and development.
The Vishva Hindu Parishad (VHP) staged a protest in Lucknow alleging illegal religious conversion activities at King George's Medical University (KGMU), following the arrest of a KGMU intern in a rape and blackmail case. The VHP demanded swift action against those involved, claiming an organized attempt at religious conversion.
Bihar MP Rajesh Ranjan, also known as Pappu Yadav, has faced criticism for his controversial remarks regarding women's reservation in Parliament, with his comments sparking outrage and prompting a notice from the Bihar Women's Commission.
The Goa BJP has accused the Congress party of attempting to downplay the involvement of a councillor's son in a sex scandal, citing photographs of the councillor with Congress leaders.
Odisha Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi announced significant progress in combating Maoist insurgency, stating it will soon be a thing of the past. He also addressed concerns about crimes against women, highlighting the government's commitment to justice and a zero-tolerance policy.
The Delhi High Court has overturned the conviction and 24-year jail sentence of Geeta Arora, also known as Sonu Punjaban, in a case involving the alleged trafficking of a 12-year-old girl, citing inconsistencies and contradictions in the victim's testimony and gaps in the prosecution's case.
A woman doctor of a government hospital allegedly died by suicide in Maharashtra's Satara district, leaving behind a note accusing two police personnel of rape and mental harassment, police said on Friday.
A day after a 25-year-old woman was reportedly gangraped in a moving van through the night and thrown out of the speeding vehicle, chilling details have surfaced pointing at the brutality of the two alleged perpetrators.
A Pune-based businessman has accused self-styled godman Ashok Kharat of defrauding him of Rs 6 crore (600,000) under the guise of helping him establish a logistics business abroad. This is the eighth case registered against Kharat, who is already in police custody on separate charges.
According to the prosecution, the appellant enticed away the informant's minor daughter on the pretext of marriage, took her to Bangalore and established a physical relationship.
Police in Saharanpur have arrested four individuals for allegedly plotting to fake the death of one of them to avoid a rape trial, involving the murder of a debtor and burning the body in a car.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, accusing her of playing the 'victim card' and pushing the state towards destruction. He promised to end the TMC's 'syndicate raj' and ensure justice for women if the BJP is voted to power.
According to the police details, the woman went to her friend's house in Sector 23, Faridabad, on Monday evening. While returning home, she took an auto-rickshaw to the NIT 2 Chowk and then walked to the Metro Chowk.
A 25-year-old married woman was allegedly gang-raped in a moving van in Faridabad and later thrown onto the road, sustaining serious head injuries, police said on Wednesday.
The Unnao rape case survivor expressed satisfaction after the Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court order suspending Kuldeep Sengar's life sentence. She voiced her faith in the justice system.
A court in Patiala declared AAP MLA Harmeet Singh Pathanmajra a proclaimed offender after he failed to appear in a rape case. The court has also directed for a notice to be issued to the investigating officer to place on record the list of properties belonging to Pathanmajra.
A young Indian actress has publicly accused a film director of abuse and claims she and her husband are receiving death threats. She is seeking protection from the central and state governments.
A 22-year-old woman was allegedly raped by a clerk of a state government-run university on the campus on the pretext of providing her a job at the facility in Madhya Pradesh's Jabalpur city, police said on Saturday.
The victim of the 2017 Unnao rape case, in which ex-BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was convicted, has approached the CBI seeking the registration of an FIR against the then-investigating officer for allegedly colluding with the former legislator. The woman also claims to face threats.
The Supreme Court has requested a response from the Manipur State Legal Authority regarding the appointment of legal aid counsel for two women allegedly paraded naked during the 2023 ethnic clashes in Manipur. This follows a plea from the CBI against the Gauhati High Court's decision to grant bail to two accused in the case.
The Delhi High Court has upheld the acquittal of a man accused of kidnapping and raping a minor, stating that a horoscope and vaccination card are insufficient proof of age for prosecution under the POCSO Act.
The BJP has launched a strong attack on the Jharkhand government following the murder of a minor girl in Hazaribagh, demanding swift action and compensation for the victim's family. The Congress party has also expressed concern over the incident and called for the immediate arrest of the culprits.
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