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Union Minister's Daughter Harassed, Stalked In Maharashtra; 7 Booked

Union Minister Raksha Khadse's daughter was allegedly harassed and stalked in Maharashtra's Jalgaon. The police have booked seven individuals in the case.

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Tanya Savkoor
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Image: @INCHarshSakpal, X

Seven individuals have been booked for harassing and stalking the minor daughter of a junior Union Minister during a fair in Maharashtra's Jalgaon. On March 2, Raksha Khadse, Union Minister of State for Youth Affairs and Sports and a BJP leader, went to the police station with dozens of party workers to file a complaint. "I have come as a mother seeking justice, not as a Union Minister and MP," she told reporters outside the police station. So far, one of the accused has been arrested.

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What Happened

Khadse told reporters, “A yatra is organized every year in Kothali on the occasion of Maha Shivratri. I was in Gujarat. My daughter called me to ask for permission to go. I gave her the okay and asked her to take a guard and two to three staff members along. There, my daughter and her friends were followed and pushed, and their photos and videos were taken."

The accused allegedly clashed with the girl's bodyguards when they tried to intervene. "When my staff objected, the boys were very unruly,” Khadse said. Kushanat Pingde, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Muktainagar, said that one accused, Soham Mali, has been arrested, and an investigation has been launched to nab the others.

Pingale said that the police have registered offences under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhitya, the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and the Information Technology Act. “We have registered an offence of molestation,” he said. The accused were identified as Aniket Bhoi, Piyush More, Saham Koli, Anuj Patil, Kiran Mali, and Sachin Palvi.

“If such a thing happens under protection, imagine the plight of others,” Khadse said, questioning women's safety in Maharashtra. “Crimes against women are increasing across the state, and the accused no longer fear the law. Many girls hesitate to come forward, but we must not remain silent. That is why I have personally filed this complaint," she said.

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Maharashtra CM Reacts

Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis alleged that some of the miscreants belonged to a "certain" political party. “Unfortunately, among the accused, some of them are workers of a certain party... This kind of harassment is wrong; they cannot be forgiven, and strict action will be taken…no one would be spared."

Eknath Khadse, NCP (SP) MLC and Raksha Khadse's father, said, "Criminals enjoy political patronage from local politicians... I have raised the issue in the legislature several times…government has failed to address such incidents." He added that in Maharashtra, women had to ensure their own safety as there was "no faith" in the police.

From the Opposition party, Maharashtra Congress President Harshawardhan Sapkal questioned the state's law and order. "The incident of a central s daughter being molested by thugs and security guards being pushed is extremely worrying and shows that women and girls are not safe in the state," he said.

Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said, "The minister (Raksha Khadse) had to go directly to the police station to demand that the
accused be arrested. We have been saying for a long time that the police are no longer feared in the state because gangsters get protection from the MahaYuti."

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