Palash Chandel, son of Chhattisgarh Leader of Opposition and BJP MLA Narayan Chandel, was arrested in a case of alleged rape after being on the run for more than two months, police said on Friday.
Held on Thursday night, Palash was released on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 25,000 as he had secured anticipatory bail from the Chhattisgarh High Court, said an official.
He was arrested by police in Janjgir-Champa district, said the district’s Additional Superintendent of Police Anil Kumar Soni.
Narayan Chandel is the MLA from Janjgir Champa constituency.
The HC had granted anticipatory bail to Palash on April 4.
A case was registered against Palash in the state capital Raipur on January 19 after a woman teacher from a tribal community in Janjgir Champa district accused him of sexually exploiting her for several years by promising to marry her.
The complainant also claimed that Palash forced her to have an abortion.
A case under Indian Penal Code sections 376(2)(n) (commit rape repeatedly on the same woman) and 313 (causing miscarriage without woman’s consent) besides the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act was registered against him.
The case was later transferred to Janjgir Champa police.
The woman had also approached the Chhattisgarh State Women’s Commission and Chhattisgarh State Scheduled Tribes Commission.
