Gujarat BJP leader and founder of Parul University Jayesh Patel has been expelled by the party's state unit following rape charges levelled against him by a 22-year-old student, reported The Hindu. Patel resigned from his post on Monday.

"We have suspended him from the party," said Dilubhai Chudasama, BJP chief of Vadodara district. According to the complaint filed by the victim, the incident took place at Patel's house next to the hostel, where she was taken by the rector. "He threatened me to expel from the college and fail in the exam if I revealed [details about the rape] to anyone," she said.

The police are looking for Patel, who has gone into hiding anticipating arrest after the rector of the women's hostel was taken into custody in connection with the case on Sunday. "The complaint was lodged and medical report has also confirmed that the complainant was raped. We have formed four teams to nab the main accused," police said.

After the incident came to light, a Mumbai-based model who was once a student at the same university said she was also tortured mentally and physically by the 66-year-old. "He almost finished my career. I wanted to become a doctor and had taken admission into the physiotherapy college. Because of his torture, I had to leave my studies midway and change my name and pursue a career in modelling," said said, according to local media reports.