NCP MLA Laxmanrao Dhobale has been booked on rape charge after a 42-year-old woman accused him of repeatedly sexually abusing her, police said on Saturday.

The legislator from Solapur has been booked under IPC sections 376 (rape), 323 (Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) by the Borivali police, said Deputy Police Commissioner Balsingh Rajput.

The victim, with whom Dhobale has a close association, approached the police on Friday with a complaint, the DCP said.

According to police sources, the former state minister had allegedly warned the woman of dire consequences if she divulged anything about the sexual abuse, besides assaulting her and threatening to reveal her objectionable pictures.

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