Raigarh: The BJP’s Raigarh district unit chief has been booked for allegedly molesting a party colleague, police said on Monday. A case was registered against Umesh Agrawal on Monday with the City Kotwali police station here based on the 21-year-old woman’s complaint, an official here said. Agrawal took to social media to deny the allegations and said he was being implicated.

“As per the complaint, the alleged molestation incident took place in Agrawal’s chamber in the BJP’s Raigarh district unit office here on June 2nd last year, the woman lodged a complaint in this connection on April 1st this year, following which an investigation was launched,” the police official said. Based on the preliminary probe, Agrawal was booked under Indian Penal Code section 354 (criminal assault with intent to outrage modesty), he added.

After the death of the victim’s father in May 2021, her family’s financial condition deteriorated and she contacted her friend in search of a job. He advised her to meet BJP district president Umesh Agarwal. On June 2nd, 2021, at 11 am in the cabin of BJP District President Umesh Aggarwal, she met him. Listening to her words BJP District President, gave her Rs 5000 in cash. Along with this, the BJP district president, while molesting and obscene talking with her, he asked her to meet frequently. 

On this, she came out of the cabin by throwing the amount given out of fear and was informed about this whole incident by her senior female leader, a former councillor.  At the same time, he was intimidated by showing threats of money and position if the girl did not agree. Even after this, the victim, while complaining about the molestation with her to the Kotwali police, demanded action against BJP District President Umesh Agarwal.