BJP MP KC Patel, on 1 May, broke his silence on the allegation that he had raped a woman lawyer at his official residence in March this year. Patel claims he was “honey-trapped”, while the lawyer claims the MP exploited her.
The woman lawyer was taken into custody for questioning by the Delhi Police on the morning of 2 May.
It is the lawyer’s word against the MP’s and the facts of the case, as reported, are on the basis of a court hearing and selective leaks by the police department.
Here’s what we know so far about both versions of the incident:
Allegations Against KC Patel
The woman lawyer claims Patel had offered to get her cases and had introduced her to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP National President Amit Shah. She claims he even promised to buy her a house on Sansad Marg.
According to a report in India Live Today, the BJP MP raped her at his official residence on 3 March, after having invited her over to discuss an ongoing case over dinner.
The lawyer alleged that the MP sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions after the 3 March incident and that he threatened to kill her if she reported the matter. She claimed to have filmed him in the act, but added that she had no faith in the police and would only hand over the CDs in question to the court.
Lawyer’s Complaint
The lawyer told ANI that she went to the police on 15 March, but no action was taken after an initial investigation at her residence. Five days later, on 20 March, she claims she was at the police station when she received a threat call.
The person on the line said he knew I was at the police station and that I should keep my mouth shut. How did they know that I was there? How was this information passed on? It means the police is helping him.
On 21 March, she claims she went to the Commissioner of Police with a copy of the complaint, but having received no response for four days, she approached the Patiala House Court.
Action Taken So Far
The Patiala House Court asked the SHO to appoint an Investigating Officer to probe the case and respond with an Action Taken Report. The next date of hearing is 12 May.
KC Patel Files Counter-Complaint
Immediately after the court’s directions, the MP from Valsad remained unreachable. On 29 April, KC Patel approached the Delhi Police, claiming that he was drugged and filmed in an “objectionable position” by a gang led by a “high-profile” woman who tried to extort Rs 5 crore from him.
Patel claimed the gang threatened to make his videos public if he did not meet their demands. The Times of India reports that the woman also threatened to implicate the MP in a rape case.
Patel, in his complaint, says that the lawyer asked for his assistance and told him to accompany her to a house in Ghaziabad. He adds that she spiked his soft drink after which he fell unconscious. He woke up later to realise that he had been “honey-trapped”. An FIR under Section 384 of the IPC has been registered for extortion.
On 1 May, KC Patel told ANI:
The accusations levelled against me are false. I have complete faith in our judicial system. There will be clarity in the matter within the next few days. I will cooperate with the police in the investigation.
What the Police Has Revealed So Far
The Delhi Police’s investigation so far, indicates a larger conspiracy at play by a gang of people led by the lawyer. The Times of India quoted an unnamed investigator as confirming that they had cracked the gang’s modus operandi. According to the police, the lawyer, who leads the gang, reaches out to parliamentarians seeking help and invites them to her house for tea.
We have found that her modus operandi is to approach parliamentarians on the pretext of seeking help and then befriending them... She then takes them to her house for tea and then clicks their pictures in objectionable poses. After that, she demands money or a high flying job. If refused, she threatens to register a fake case of rape.Special team Investigator to The Times of India
Incidentally, the same woman had reportedly filed a rape case against another MP in 2016.
Here’s What We Don’t Know So Far
- What were the circumstances that brought these two individuals together?
- Why did the police not lodge the lawyer’s FIR alleging rape against KC Patel?
- Is there evidence to prove KC Patel was in fact being blackmailed?
- Why did KC Patel file an FIR only after the woman moved the court?
- Are there other MPs out there who’ve been victims of this alleged extortion gang? If yes, do the police know who they are?
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