Woman in Bareilly fabricates gang-rape, shooting allegation to frame Mayor, say police
Bareilly: A 40-year-old woman from Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh has been accused of fabricating a sensational case involving abduction, gang-rape, and an attempt to murder, allegedly to falsely implicate the city’s Mayor, Dr Umesh Gautam, and his son.
According to police, the woman lodged a complaint on March 29, claiming that five men had abducted her, raped her inside a moving vehicle, and then shot her in the chest before abandoning her. The case initially triggered concern and a police response.
However, during the course of investigation, police uncovered discrepancies in her version of events. Medical examination results and CCTV footage from various locations mentioned in her complaint did not support her narrative. A key element of her allegation, the bullet injury on her chest, was found to be self-inflicted with assistance from an unlicensed doctor.
Police officials revealed that the woman had paid ₹2,500 to a quack to surgically implant a bullet into her body to make the injury appear real. The case came under scrutiny after the findings were reported by Hindi daily Navbharat Times.
Further investigation revealed that the woman had worked as a domestic help at Mayor Umesh Gautam’s residence until 2021. Police also noted that she had filed a similar complaint against the Mayor in 2022, which had been closed due to lack of evidence.
In her latest complaint, the woman alleged that the Mayor's son, Parth Gautam, had instructed the accused kidnappers over a phone call to eliminate her, claiming she was creating problems for his father. However, surveillance footage from the claimed locations of the incident failed to support her story.
Police said legal action would be taken in connection with the false complaint and for the involvement of the unlicensed doctor who assisted in the surgical procedure.
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Sena (UBT)-MNS alliance announcement for civic polls likely next week
Mumbai (PTI): The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the Maharashtra Navnirman Sena (MNS) are likely to announce next week their alliance for the upcoming municipal corporation elections in Maharashtra, with seat-sharing for all the civic bodies, except Mumbai, almost complete, leaders of both the parties said.
Elections to 29 municipal corporations in Maharashtra, including the all-important Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC), will be held on January 15, and the counting of votes will take place the next day.
The Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MNS will forge an alliance for the polls in municipal corporations of Mumbai, Thane, Mira-Bhayandar, Kalyan-Dombivli, Pimpri-Chinchwad, Pune and Nashik, among others.
The Sena (UBT) is headed by former chief minister Uddhav Thackeray, while his once-estranged cousin Raj is the president of the MNS.
"Talks for all civic bodies, except Mumbai, are complete. The sticking point is about the seats that we are demanding in Marathi-dominated areas. The Shiv Sena (UBT) is not still not agreeing to it which has delayed the seat-sharing. But the talks have to be over soon since the date of filing nominations starts next week (December 23 to December 30)," an MNS leader said.
Talking to reporters, MNS leader and former MLA Nitin Sardesai said, "It is appropriate to say that the talks are in final stages but it is difficult to say when it will be officially announced. I can only say that all sides are putting efforts to complete the talks and they are working towards it."
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Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Anil Parab met Raj Thackeray to discuss seat-sharing.
A Sena (UBT) leader said talks are in final stages and there is no hurdle in the seat-sharing agreement.
"The two brothers are expected to officially announce the alliance between the two parties on Monday in a public event or through a press conference that will set the tone for the civic body polls," he said.
Raj Thackeray quit the undivided Shiv Sena blaming Uddhav for his exit in 2005 and floated the MNS in 2006. They had been political rivals since then.
However, after the drubbing of their parties in the Maharashtra assembly polls in 2024 - the Sena (UBT) won 20 seats, while MNS drew a blank - both leaders decided to put behind their political acrimony and find a common ground for survival.
Over the past few months, the two cousins shared the stage or were spotted at public forums together multiple times for various reasons.
The cousins publicly ended their two-decade-long estrangement in July, where they addressed a joint rally. At the event, Uddhav said they have come together to stay together.
