NCP corporator booked for alleged kidnapping, dacoity

In her statement to the police, the woman said she was unable to speak to Damle during the day owing to poor mobile network coverage. “The woman spoke to Damle later on Tuesday evening and told her she was safe, but Damle insisted on meeting her. He went to the ashram around 11 pm Tuesday,” said Avinash Ambhure, additional superintendent of police, Thane Rural.

The police said that Damle arrived with eight supporters but the group was stopped by men at the ashram. “Damle’s people jumped over the wall and started fighting with the ashram people. The uncle fired a round in the air from his 12 bore gun from the second storey of the ashram,” Ambhure said.

From the CCTV footage, it appears that Damle beat the uncle and dragged the woman out of the room, he added.

The woman’s family approached Kulgaon police at 1.30 am on Wednesday morning and a case of kidnapping and dacoity was registered against Damle and eight others. In their complaint the family alleged that the accused looted Rs 1 lakh from the ashram and that Damle stole the uncle’s gun.

Ambhure said the victim gave her statement to the police on Wednesday morning and assured them that “she was not injured but was not aware of Damle’s current whereabouts”.

“We have tried contacting Damle but his phone is switched off, he is still at large. We are verifying the details of the case and the connections between Damle and the family. So far we have CCTV footage as evidence, which is being scrutinised,” Ambhure said.

“No one is above the law, Damle was expelled after the news broke on TV. He was the only party person, no one else from the party was involved in the incident,” said Nawab Malik, NCP spokesperson.