Jaipur: This morning, a squad of 15 Delhi police officers arrived in Jaipur to arrest Rajasthan Minister Mahesh Joshi’s son Rohit, who is accused of raping a 23-year-old lady.
The police squad went to two of the minister’s residences in the city, but the accused was not present.
“Our team of officers have reached Jaipur in connection with the case to nab Joshi, who has been on the run. Our teams are conducting a search to locate and trace him,” said a senior police officer.
The woman said in her complaint that the minister’s son raped her on multiple times between January 8 and April 17 this year, promising to marry her, for which the Delhi Police initially submitted a zero First Information Report or zero FIR.
The zero FIR was later changed to a standard FIR because the complaint additionally mentioned charges of sexual assault perpetrated in the Sadar Bazar police station jurisdiction.
The woman said she developed a friendship with Rohit Joshi on Facebook last year and they have been in contact since then. She also accused Rohit Joshi of kidnapping and blackmailing.
“During their first meeting, she alleged, he spiked her drink and when she woke up the next morning, he showed her naked photographs and videos which worried her,” reads the FIR.
The woman further said that she discovered out she was pregnant with his child on August 11, 2021, and that Rohit Joshi ordered her to take a pill, which she refused.
Reacting to the allegations against his son, Mr Joshi said, “Instead of speculation and the media trial in this case, police should be allowed to do their job. I am sure police will do justice, go deep and find out the truth.”
Meanwhile, the Opposition BJP in the state alleged that the state government is trying to save the accused. “It is unfortunate that the government is trying to save the accused. It is the Congress culture, which tries to cover up such cases eventually, which is unfortunate,” Leader of Opposition in the state Assembly Gulab Chand Kataria said last week.
Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot considers Mahesh Joshi to be a close aide.
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