BJP Yuva Morcha Leader In Karnataka Accused Of Rape, Arrested

(MENAFN- IANS) Bengaluru, May 25 (IANS) Karnataka police on Monday arrested BJP Yuva Morcha leader and advocate Bharath B.S in connection with the alleged rape case reported from Shivamogga district. The case was registered in Papertown police station in Bhadravati town in Shivamogga district.

Bharath had disappeared following the lodging of a complaint against him and the police had launched a manhunt for him.

After gathering credible information about the accused taking shelter in a friend's house in Bengaluru, the police team had raided and arrested him on late on Sunday night, police said.

The accused had been introduced to the 23-year-old victim as her husband's friend and allegedly raped her. He is also facing allegations of threatening her. The woman had lodged a police complaint against the accused.

He allegedly raped the woman at her home on April 11 while the husband was away, and threatened to make the incident public. He is also accused of returning later in the month to sexually harass her.

The accused had introduced himself as the husband's friend and had become acquainted with the woman through Instagram. He was also frequently visiting the grocery shop run by the couple. It is alleged that he used to harass the woman there by inappropriately touching her.

Police further stated, on April 11, the victim's husband had informed her that his friend Bharath would be coming home and asked her to give him some money. When the woman was alone and preparing to hand over the money as instructed by her husband, the accused allegedly raped her.

The accused reportedly threatened her with dire consequences and warned that he would defame her if she disclosed the incident to anyone. He later fled from the spot with the money.

On April 25, the accused allegedly returned to the shop and again attempted to sexually harass the woman.

Later, when the woman's husband noticed that the accused had been blocked on Instagram while checking her mobile phone and questioned her about it, she broke down in tears and revealed the incident.

The couple then allegedly exposed the accused's intentions by chatting with him on WhatsApp using the woman's name. Following this, the couple lodged a complaint against the accused at the Paper Town Police Station in Bhadravathi.

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