Gujarat : AAP Leader arrested under POSCO ACT for sexually assaulting minor girls in Rajkot

Rajkot : Rakesh Sorathiya, 35, an Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader  has been arrested by the Rajkot police on the charges of sexual harassment under the POSCO Act on Friday. Sorathiya, who is the principal of Saraswati Educational Complex allegedly used to take minor girls to his office and physically assaulted them.

The accused allegedly assaulted four minor girls, and after a complaint from one of the victims’ mothers, the police have taken the accused principal into custody. It is noteworthy that the accused is an Aam Aadmi Party leader, a former office bearer, and a former candidate in the Rajkot Municipal Corporation elections.

A total of 60 students study at this school, out of which 42 are studying under RTE. Out of these, four female students have reportedly been sexually harassed by the principal.

The complainant, who lives on Kothariya Road in Rajkot, Gujarat said in her complaint that her 14-year-old daughter studies at Shri Saraswati Educational Complex. The principal of this school is Rakesh Sorathia, used to lock the door to his office, invite her in, and then sexually harass her.

While investigating this, it was learned that in addition to her daughter, the accused, Rakesh, also allegedly harassed another 14-year-old girl and two 11-year-old girls. Therefore, the woman filed a written complaint to take legal action against Rakesh.

Based on the complaint of the mother of the minor victim, the Bhaktinagar police have registered a case against the accused, Rakesh Sorathia, under Section 354(A) (sexual harassment) of the IPC, as well as Sections 8 (sexual assault) and 10 (aggravated sexual assault) of the POCSO Act. The police have arrested the accused principal. The accused, who is an AAP leader, has served as the party secretary of Rajkot city. In the last Rajkot Municipal Corporation election, he contested from Ward No. 17 for the Aam Aadmi Party, but he was defeated.