A suspended BJP leader accused of torturing her domestic help at her Jharkhand home, even smashing her teeth with an iron rod and starving her, was arrested this morning.
Seema Patra was caught after her son revealed the horrific abuse to his friend, a government officer, and asked for help.
While being led away by the police, she told the media she was framed. "I am innocent," she said.
Seema Patra allegedly admitted her son to a hospital for exposing her. "He was unwell," she claimed when asked why her son was in hospital.
She has been sent to the judicial custody for 14 days.
The BJP suspended Seema Patra on Tuesday after a video of her domestic help accusing her of torture went viral. The party said a committee has been constituted to probe the incident.
Ms Patra was a member of the national working committee of the BJP's women wing and her husband, Maheshwar Patra, is a retired IAS officer.
Sunita, the help, had been working for her for 10 years.
In the video, Sunita is seen on a hospital bed with wounds on her body and face. The 29-year-old woman could barely speak as she alleged that she was held captive, tortured and beaten with rods and an iron pan. Many of her teeth were missing and she couldn't sit up.
She alleged that she was forced to lick urine off the floor. "She also broke my teeth with an iron rod," Sunita said.
She was allegedly not given food or water for days. It was Ms Patra's son Ayushman who saved her, she said. "It is only because of him that I am alive," she said in the video, weeping.
Sunita was rescued last week after Ayushman, apparently disturbed by the abuse, confided in a friend, shared videos and asked him to help. His friend Vivek Anand Baskey, a government officer, went to the police.
Ms Patra admitted her son to Ranchi Institute of Neuro-Psychiatry and Allied Sciences, allegedly when she found out he was trying to help Sunita.
After rescuing her from the Patras' home, the police took her to Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) for treatment, officials said.
Sunita's videos, which are in wide circulation now, have evoked strong reactions. Jharkhand Governor Ramesh Bais too met with Director General of Police Neeraj Sinha yesterday and expressed "serious concern" over the delay in action against the suspended BJP leader.
Police said they have not found any evidence against Ms Patra's husband.
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