By IANS
Amritsar: The Punjab Police Wednesday said a Bharatiya
Janata Party (BJP) leader had been arrested after his 20-year-old daughter
complained he had sexually exploited her for the last eight years. The BJP
is a partner in Punjab’s Akali Dal-led ruling alliance.
Ashok Taneja, the general secretary of the Ajnala unit of the BJP, was
arrested after his daughter, a college student, filed a complaint, said
police officials in the border town, 30 km from here.
Senior Superintendent of Police (Rural) Gurmeet Chauhan told IANS: “We have
detained Taneja and are questioning him.”
Amritsar Superintendent of Police (Rural) Satpal Joshi said a case of rape
has been registered against the accused, who has been “arrested”.
An investigating officer said: “She (the daughter) 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.”
Taneja had threatened to kill her if she told anyone in the family or
outside about his illegal activities.
Police officials said that they would further investigate the matter,
especially whether it was in the knowledge of other family members,
including the girl’s mother.
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”.