FILE: Jayanti Bhanushali

SURAT: After a high drama outside the city police commissioner office , police registered the complaint of the 21-year-old woman on Thursday evening who accused BJP leader Jayanti Bhanushali of raping her. The FIR was registered with Sarthana police station.

Several Congress workers also arrived at the commissioner office along with the complainant and it led to confrontation with police outside the entry gate. Police forcibly took control of the car in which the complainant was sitting in a burqua and a cop drove it to the DCB office. A police sub-inspector also sat in the car to ensure safety of the complainant.

Earlier, the survivor had submitted a written application to city police commissioner office alleging rape by Bhanushali. When police called the woman to register her statement, she was not found at her residence. She was missing along with her family after which police pasted notice at the residence asking the woman to come to police to register the statement.

On Thursday, police booked Jayanti Bhanushali for alleged rape, kidnapping and other charges. The accused allegedly raped the survivor multiple times. The investigation of the case has been handed over to Leena Patil, deputy commissioner of police, zone IV.

The survivor alleged in her earlier application that she was raped multiple times by the accused after offering her admission in reputed fashion design institute. Bhanushali, 53, had to resign from his post as Gujarat BJP vice-president last week following the allegations. The survivor also alleged that the crime was videographed by the accused.

“Accused Bhanushali has been booked for rape, kidnapping and other sections,” said Satish Sharma, city police commissioner.

