Samajwadi Party Leader Accused of Repeated Rape and Blackmail

A local Samajwadi Party leader, Virendra Pal, has been accused of repeatedly raping an 18-year-old woman and threatening her life in Uttar Pradesh's Mau district. The alleged assaults occurred over a year, with Pal blackmailing the woman using video footage of the rapes. Police are investigating and searching for Pal.

A local Samajwadi Party (SP) leader has been booked for allegedly raping an 18-year-old woman multiple times and threatening to kill her in Uttar Pradesh's Mau district, police reported on Sunday.

Anil Kumar Singh, SHO of Kotwali Nagar police station in Mau, disclosed that the accused, Virendra Pal, who also practices as an advocate, raped the woman over nearly a year. Pal remains at large as efforts to apprehend him continue.

The complainant asserted she assisted Pal with his legal work and that he lured her into his car at a remote location, where she was given a sedative-laced drink and forcibly raped. Pal allegedly recorded the assault and used the footage to blackmail her, continuing her physical exploitation and extorting Rs 4 lakh, Singh added. The woman also claimed that Pal raped her again on July 16 and 17 at a hotel. On September 6, when she confronted him to retrieve her vehicle, he allegedly thrashed and abused her, threatening her life.

(With inputs from agencies.)