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RAJKOT: The police department of Union territory Diu has announced Rs 25,000 reward for the person who provides information about Diu district panchayat president and BJP leader Shashikant Solanki, who is wanted in connection with a rape case against him. He was earlier declared absconder by a local court in Diu.

The decision of the police comes ahead of panchayat polls that was scheduled for July 1. This comes as a major blow to the ruling BJP in Diu.

Solanki (42) had gone missing following a complaint of rape and trespassing lodged against him by a female resident of Diu.

According to police, Solanki had developed a relationship with the woman after promising marriage. Sources said that Solanki knew the complainant woman and the two used to meet regularly.

However, when he refused to marry her, the woman lodged a rape complaint against Solanki on June 9. The district panchayat president of BJP was booked under sections 376 (rape), 420 (cheating and dishonestly inducing delivery of property), 452 (house-trespass after preparation for hurt, assault or wrongful restraint), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace) among others of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

Superintendent of police, Diu Samir Sharma said that Solanki was missing since the complaint was lodged against him. “So, we announced a reward of Rs 25,000 for anyone who gives information about Solanki’s whereabouts,” Sharma told TOI.

The Diu administration was tightlipped on the issue of Solanki and refused to divulge much information.

Also, this was not the first complaint against Solanki. In April this year, he and vice-president of BJP unit for Daman and Diu, Kirit Vaja, were arrested along with two others for allegedly raising slogans against the local administration at a rally to protest ban on liquor sale along the highways.

