A 24-year-old woman has accused two men of allegedly hiring her to frame a 27-year-old Muslim businessman for raping her in Uttar Pradesh’s Kasganj district, reported The Times of India on Sunday. One of the men claimed to be a Bharatiya Janata Party leader.
Before she accused the two men, the complainant said that a man named Prince Qureshi had assumed the name of Monu Gupta. He had promised to marry her and raped her. Subsequently, Qureshi was booked for rape, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation on July 16.
However, when the complainant was asked to undergo a medical examination, she rescinded the allegations against Qureshi. The police had told her that she could be jailed if her claims are proven false.
In her statement before the magistrate, the woman said that 38-year-old Aman Chauhan and 28-year-old Akash Solanki had hired her to frame Qureshi. Chauhan identifies himself as the district vice president of the BJP youth wing, according to The Times of India.
BJP district president KP Singh, however, claimed Chauhan has been expelled from the party. Singh said that he does not know Solanki, adding that the BJP has nothing to do with the case.
Chauhan and Solanki, along with 200 workers from right-wing organisations, had alleged “love jihad” based on the woman’s allegation and protested in front of a police station.
“Love jihad” is a conspiracy theory espoused by Hindutva supremacists, who allege that it involves Muslim men forcibly converting Hindu women to Islam through marriage.
Chauhan, Solanki and the woman have been booked on charges of criminal conspiracy.
Superintendent of Police BBGTS Murthy said that the two men were arrested but have been granted bail.
“All details provided by the woman in support of her allegations were found to be wrong in our investigation,” Superintendent of Police BBGTS Murthy said. “She was unwilling to go for a medical examination. She later confessed and said she had been asked to do this by two residents. There seems to be an old rivalry related to financial agreements between the parties.”
He added that the police will file a chargesheet soon.
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