RSS leader arrested for raping BJP worker on pretext of marriage

A Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) pracharak and former Bengal BJP general secretary (organisation), Amalendu Chattopadhyay, has been arrested from Delhi after a woman party member accused him of raping her repeatedly on the promise of marriage.

Chattopadhyay, who is currently associated with the RSS's consumer safety and security cell called Akhil Bhartiya Grahak Panchayat in Bengal, was reportedly arrested by a Calcutta police team on Monday. His arrest has come at a time when the RSS is holding a three-day conclave in New Delhi with an aim to engage with a cross section of people and present its perspective on the future of the country.

In the FIR filed with Behala police station against Chattopadhyay on August 31, the woman has also alleged that Chattopadhyay tortured her and threatened her with dire consequences if she told anyone.

The FIR also mentions the names of BJP national joint general secretary (organisation) and co-minder of the state BJP Shivprakash and RSS prant pracharak, south Bengal, Bidyut Mukherjee.

"He has been arrested for allegedly giving a false assurance of marriage to a woman. Other charges include rape, cheating, criminal breach of trust, forcing a woman to undergo abortion and criminal conspiracy," a police source was quoted by The Telegraph.

According to the complaint by the woman, according to TT, “who herself is a BJP member, two state BJP leaders (whose names are not mentioned in the FIR) had invited her to a meeting at a hotel in central Calcutta. However, upon reaching the hotel, she had allegedly found only Shivprakash and Mukherjee.”

“The complaint says the duo tried to rape her but Chottopadhyay reached the spot and rescued her and convinced her to not report the matter to the police as that would have maligned the organisation,” the report read, and added quoting a police officer, "The victim said Chattopadhyay started visiting her home later and the two developed a physical relationship, following which he gave her an assurance of marriage."

“We are consulting our lawyers and we will move legally to fight against this intentional attempt to harass us,” said Bengal BJP president Dilip Ghosh was quoted as saying. Ghosh suspected that the Trinamool Congress could be behind the complaint.