BJP activist who received PM Modi in Australia, Balesh Dhankhar held for sexual assault
Allegations include luring women by posting fake job ads, interviewing victims
New Delhi: Balesh Dhankhar, a prominent BJP activist, is facing trial after being charged with 13 counts of sexual assault, 17 of intimate recordings without consent, six of using intoxicating substances to commit offence and assault with act of indecency.
Dhankhar, who is the founder-president of the ‘Overseas Friends of BJP’ in Australia and a former associate of the Hindu Council of Australia, played a major role in organizing the reception of Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Sydney, during Modi’s Australia visit in 2014. According to Australian media reports, Dhankhar had boasted about his access to Modi and had posted his photos with Modi on his social media accounts.
The police said that the activist had filmed himself with a camera hidden in an alarm clock, sexually assaulting five women he had lured to Hotel Hilton, with fake job interview offers.
A local newspaper had quoted Dr. Yadu Singh, a community leader, saying that Dhankhar had also been involved in organizing community rallies for Modi in Sydney, in November 2014. Dr. Singh, who spoke in relation to the charges on Dhankhar, said that the persons concerned had not duly responded to the reports in a Sydney community newspaper on Dhankhar’s activities. “These allegations are obviously serious and the Australian judicial process will surely take them to the rightful conclusion in due course,” Dr. Singh added.
On Tuesday, Sydney Morning Herald reported that the prosecutor told the jury at the opening of the trial that Dhankhar was ‘interested’ in young Korean women. He had allegedly posted advertisements on ‘Gumtree’ on translation work for Korean-English speakers, and met them at the bar of the Hotel Hilton, which was near his apartment in Sydney.
The report said that Dhankhar had a “state of mind to satisfy his particular sexual interest” by posing as an interviewer and lying to them, “so he could commit sexual acts on them and make intimate recordings of them – and do so whilst they were under the influence of a substance.”
Sydney Morning Herald, in its report on the court room proceedings, said that a young lady recalled having ice cream and one glass of wine at Dhankhar’s house, but nothing after that, until a late-night call to her boyfriend. Rather, she remembered being naked and feeling dirty and dizzy, she remembered bright lights, a condom wrapper and experiencing pain.
The jury was told that Dhankhar had a tendency to record intimate images as well as videos of unconscious Asian and Korean women.
Rebecca Mitchell, who is Dhankhar’s lawyer, admitted that Dhankhar had a sexual interest in women, used fake ads to meet them, and was ‘deceptive’. She stated that Dhankhar did not dispute having a sexual relationship with the women.
The advocate, however, argued, “Dhankhar’s case is that each of the complainants consented to sexual acts they engaged in but the prosecution needed to prove Dhankhar’s guilt.”
The activist also disputed that the images were taken without consent of the women and that he drugged them, Mitchell said.
Officer in-charge of the case Sergeant Katrina Gyde told the court that a hard drive, containing 47 videos of the accused having sexual intercourse, was found in Dhankhar’s backpack.
‘Overseas Friends of BJP’ leader, who received Modi in Australia, arrested on rape charges
— Dr. Audrey Truschke (@AudreyTruschke) March 16, 2023
Warning — Harsh details in news coverage. https://t.co/UaUWpcJNBb
Australia: Balesh Dhankhar the president of RW ruling BJP party of PM Modi is a sex criminal on trial for 39 charges including 13 counts of rape allegedly committed between January and October 2018. He recorded his act with the victims on camera.#Hindutvahttps://t.co/UhSdT6NuoK
— South Asian Journal (@sajournal1) March 16, 2023
Balesh Dhankhar, prosecutors allege, had a “particular” sexual interest in unconscious Korean women.
— Perry Duffin (@perryduffin1) March 15, 2023
A hidden camera was allegedly found in his apartment.
He is charged with drugging, raping and filming five women after fake job interviews.https://t.co/QTxnKBFMTY @smh
Balesh Dhankhar is the President of Overseas Friends of BJP (OFBJP) Australia https://t.co/bVbOuYneOv
— Monsieur Larkin ♘ (@Hakicat) March 16, 2023
In this Facebook post Balesh Dhankar proudly celebrates BJP’s election wins in Gujarat and Himachal https://t.co/u4us00SnLi pic.twitter.com/J0OuAqG3cx
— URScrewed (@URScrewed_) March 16, 2023
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NCBC to summon Karnataka chief secretary over blanket reservation to Muslims
New Delhi, Apr 25: The National Commission for Backward Classes (NCBC) would be summoning the Karnataka chief secretary over the "blanket reservation" given to the Muslim community in the state, chairperson Hansraj Ahir said on Thursday.
The NCBC has criticised the Karnataka government's decision to categorise the entire Muslim community as a backward caste for reservation purposes saying such blanket categorisation undermines the principles of social justice.
"All castes/communities of Muslim religion in Karnataka are considered socially and educationally backward classes of citizens and are categorised as Muslim Caste separately under Category IIB in the State List of Backward Classes," NCBC chairperson Ahir said.
"This classification enables them to receive reservation in educational institution admissions and in appointments to posts and vacancies in the services of the State, as per Articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the Constitution of India," he said.
The NCBC has emphasised that while there are indeed underprivileged and historically marginalised sections within the Muslim community, treating the entire religion as backward overlooks the diversity and complexities within Muslim society.
Ahir said the response received from the state government on the matter has not been satisfactory and he would be summoning the Karnataka chief secretary to give an explanation over the move.
According to the data submitted by the Karnataka Backward Classes Welfare Department, all castes and communities within the Muslim religion have been enlisted as socially and educationally backward classes under Category IIB in the State List of Backward Classes.
The commission, during a field visit last year, examined Karnataka's reservation policy for OBCs in educational institutions and government jobs.
While Karnataka provides 32 per cent reservation to backward classes in local body elections, including Muslims, the NCBC stressed the need for a nuanced approach that accounts for the diversity within these communities.
According to the 2011 Census, Muslims constitute 12.92 per cent of the population in Karnataka.
