NCP minister’s brother arrested for rape

The police on Monday arrested Hrushikant Shinde, the brother of NCP leader and Water Resources Minister of Maharashtra Shashikant Shinde, in Satara for allegedly raping a 33-year-old woman.

Hrushikant was produced before Satara sessions court, which remanded him to police custody till February 21. The woman in her complaint stated that she had approached Hrushikant, who works as a property broker, for selling her mother’s house in Mumbai.

According to her, Hrushikant visited her home on Sunday on the pretext to discuss the property deal, but raped her.

While the NCP termed the charge against Hrushikant a political conspiracy ahead of the elections, minister Shashikant Shinde, who is also the guardian minister of Satara district, said he would snap all ties with Hrushikant if the charges against him are proved.