The Chhattisgarh Police on Sunday arrested a local Bharatiya Janata Party leader for allegedly molesting a 34-year-old woman in Raipur. The police arrested Prakash Bajaj, 42, after the woman filed a complaint at the Civil Lines police station, PTI reported.

“In her complaint, the victim, a resident of Gayatri Nagar, claimed that she had given Rs 10 lakh to Bajaj for purchasing a house in 2016 through him and was trying to arrange remaining amount through bank finance,” Civil Lines Station House Officer Mohsin Khan said. “However, when the loan was not sanctioned to her, the victim demanded her money back from Bajaj citing that she was not able to purchase the house.”

Bajaj allegedly molested the complainant several times at his house between 2016 and 2018 on the pretext of returning her money. “The accused also allegedly threatened the victim, asking her not approach the police or narrate the incident to anyone,” Khan said. “He also did not return her money.”

Bajaj was booked under Sections 354 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, which relate to “outraging the modesty of a woman”, and criminal intimidation. Khan said Bajaj was produced in a local court and sent to 15 days’ judicial custody.

Bajaj was one of the complainants in a case related to an alleged “sex CD” involving former Chhattisgarh minister Rajesh Munat. Former BJP leader Kailash Murarka and five other people are accused of involvement in a criminal conspiracy to make a morphed sex video of Munat and circulate it.