By IANS
Amritsar: “My father should not be spared for his acts. He should be shot dead,” was the impassioned plea of the college-going daughter of a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader. The father has allegedly been raping his daughter for the past eight years.
Speaking to reporters here Thursday, the 20-year-old said she wanted no mercy for her father. “Don’t spare him. The police should shoot him dead,” she said, speaking in Punjabi.
The daughter of BJP local leader Ashok Taneja filed her complaint against her father Wednesday. She approached police after gathering courage upon reading about a similar case in Mumbai last week.
Taneja, general secretary of the Ajnala unit of the BJP, was arrested Wednesday night, said police officials in the border town, 30 km from here.
Rajwinder Singh, investigating officer of the case, told IANS: “We received a complaint from the victim yesterday (Wednesday). She mustered courage to tell her relatives about her sexual exploitation after seeing a similar case being reported from Mumbai a few days back. They helped her complain to the police.”
A cousin of the victim told IANS Thursday: “Taneja had threatened to kill her (victim) if she told anyone in the family or outside about his activities. She is still very disturbed and is afraid of speaking out in the open against her father.”
Meanwhile, Taneja was admitted in hospital Thursday after he complained of uneasiness and a heart problem.
The BJP is a partner in Punjab’s Akali Dal-led ruling alliance.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Rural) Gurmeet Chauhan told IANS: “A case of rape has been registered against the accused and police have started investigations.”
“Taneja was admitted in hospital as he complained of some heart problem. However, doctors say his condition is stable and he could be discharged,” said Chauhan.
Police said that they would investigate the matter to see if other family members, especially the girl’s mother, knew about the crime.
Last week, the Mumbai police arrested a 49-year-old businessman who allegedly raped his daughter for over nine years on the advice of a black magic practitioner to get “rich quickly”.