A Shiv Sena leader from Maharashtra's Pune, who has been charged with raping a 24-year-old woman and forcing her to undergo an abortion, today refuted the allegations and called it a political conspiracy.
"The case has been registered out of a political conspiracy to defame me and my family. It is also a form of blackmailing and an attempt to tarnish my work in the labour sector and my many years of social and political image," Raghunath Kuchik, the general secretary of the Shiv Sena's labour wing Bhartiya Kamgar Sena said.
The Pune police registered a case under section 376 (rape) and 313 (causing miscarriage without woman's consent) of the IPC against Mr Kuchik based on a complaint lodged by the woman.
The Sena leader said that he has "complete faith in the judiciary and the police department" and is confident that the truth will come out in his favour after investigation.
"Mr Kuchik had befriended the woman on a social media platform. According to the complaint, he allegedly established physical relations with her by promising to marry her," an official from Shivaji Nagar police station told news agency PTI.
The complainant was also forced to undergo an abortion when she became pregnant, the official said.
Mr Kuchik, who is also the deputy leader of Shiv Sena, said he will not comment further as the case has been filed today but his legal team is working on it and will provide "detailed proof and documents" in the next two days.
Mr Kuchik had earlier said that he was honey-trapped by the woman.
