Cong MLA charged with rape, kidnap

BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA Hemant Katare has been charged with rape, illegal confinement and kidnapping in two separate cases after a series of videos containing allegations and counter allegation hit the social media .

The case of rape and criminal intimidation was registered at the Mahila police station on Friday on the complaint of a 21-yearold girl, who also accused police officials of colluding with the MLA. The kidnapping case was filed at the Bajaria police station against Katare and three others following a complaint by the alleged rape survivor’s mother, SP (South) Rahul Lodha said.

Katare, who is the MLA from Ater, Bhind, was called to the crime branch office on Thursday night following which his mobile was seized as evidence.

The case has been in the limelight over the past fortnight because of a series of viral videos, in which the girl and her accomplice, who is still at large, have accused Katare of sexually exploiting her.

Katare too had released a video in which he defended himself.

Police sources said that on January 24, Katare complained that a girl was threatening to frame him in a false rape and attempted suicide case and demanding ₹2 crore for keeping quiet. The crime branch arrested the girl after she collected the first instalment of the decided amount from Katare.

Soon after the girl’s arrest, another video surfaced in which she was accusing the MLA of exploiting her. The MLA could not be contacted immediately.