Chhota Udepur district police on Wednesday booked a former model, who had unsuccessfully contested the local body elections, and eight others under the Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribe (Prevention of Atrocities) Act 1989, based on a complaint filed by the sarpanch of Kavitha village in Sankheda.
The former model, Aeshra Patel, had contested against the complainant, Jyoti Solanki, in the panchayat elections in December last year.
According to police, Patel and Solanki were involved in an alleged fight on April 25 during a gram sabha meeting, after which Patel had filed a complaint against Solanki, her husband, and her son for allegedly attempting to disrobe her.
Solanki was arrested on Tuesday, along with her husband Manoj and son Ajay after Patel’s complaint and was granted bail.
On Wednesday, Solanki filed a complaint under the Atrocity Act and also for allegedly outraging her modesty against Patel and eight others, including her father Mahesh.
The SC/ST Cell of the Narmada District police summoned the accused for questioning and initiated a probe, Superintendent of Police Dharmendra Sharma told The Indian Express,
This is the second case under the Atrocity Act filed against Patel by Solanki. Earlier, Solanki had filed a complaint against Patel and her family after the gram panchayat election results were declared in December 2021.
SP Sharma said, “Patel and Solanki had a fight during the gram sabha meeting on Monday… The first complaint, filed by Aeshra Patel alleged that Solanki, her husband and son had assaulted her and also torn her clothes. We had arrested them and they were granted bail. Later, Solanki filed a complaint of atrocity against the Patel and her supporters. We are probing the incident.”
Besides Patel, the other accused include her father Mahesh, Nandu Patel, Rajendra Patel, Mahesh Rabari, Devraj Rabari, Sandeepsinh Rajsolanki, Narhari Patel and Vipal Patel.
Deputy Superintendent of Police of the SC ST Cell AS Patni, who is heading the investigation, said, “We have summoned the accused for questioning on Wednesday. They have not yet been arrested.”
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