Gujarat Government's Special Investigation Team has arrested two more persons, including the prime accused who is a BJP worker, in connection with the alleged gang rape of a 24-year-old woman in Naliya town of Kutch district, taking the number of accused in police custody so far to five.
The SIT had yesterday arrested Vinod Thakkar (67), his son Chetan Thakkar (35) and one Ashwin Thakkar (44) in connection with the one-year-old case.
They were produced in a court in Naliya, which remanded them in police custody for 14 days.
"Those arrested today are identified as Shantilal Solanki (48), who is the prime accused, and Bharat Darji (37), both residents of Naliya," stated an official release by Kutch Local Crime Branch (LCB) police inspector and SIT head J M Aal.
In her FIR, the woman, currently living in Mumbai with her husband, had alleged she was raped by at least nine men on different occasions when she used to work as a clerk at Solanki's gas agency in Naliya.
She alleged Solanki, Darji and Vipul Thakkar offered her a spiked cold drink and raped her when she had gone to Solanki's house to take a salary advance.
As per her FIR filed at Naliya police station on January 25, the trio filmed the act and raped her on several occasions later by threatening to circulate the video clip. On one occasion, she was raped by Vipul Thakkar and Solanki in the latter's car. She was also sexually assaulted by other accused.
Since Solanki is associated with the BJP, he, along with three members of the party, namely Govind Parumalani, Ajit Ramvani and Vasant Bhanushali were suspended two days back after their names found mention in the complaint.
Ramvani and Bhanushali are the sitting councillors of Gandhidham municipality and yet to be arrested by police.
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