The Ranchi police on Wednesday arrested suspended BJP leader Seema Patra over allegations of torturing her 29-year-old tribal helper Sunita at her Ashok Nagar residence. Police acted against the BJP leader as a case was registered at Argora police station against Patra. BJP leader Seema Patra's husband is a retired IAS officer. The BJP leader has been charged of torturing her domestic help over years.
After the arrest, Patra was sent to police remand till September 12. After production in court she was forwarded to Birsa Munda Central Jail Hotwar. In Court when Patra was produced, the BJP leader claimed that she is innocent and termed the allegations as “politically motivated".
Seema Patra had allegedly kept the woman captive in her residence in Ranchi’s posh Ashok Nagar area for several years. Patra was suspended by BJP after a video of the woman, identified as Sunita, narrating her ordeal, went viral on social media with demands for Patra’s arrest.
Sunita was reportedly saved by Ayushman, Seema Patra’s son. Patra was caught after her son told his friend, a government officer, about the torture and asked for help, reports said.
Acting on a tip-off from a government employee, the Ranchi Police had rescued the woman from Patra’s residence last week and recorded her statement on Tuesday before a magistrate.
Sunita has suffered dozens of injuries on her body as she was allegedly beaten with a hot pan and iron rods and was forced to lick the urine on the floor over years of torture. Sunita, whose teeth were also broken with an iron rod, was unable to stand on her own when she was found as she was locked in a room without food and water.
According to a post, the domestic help was kept at the Patra household and tortured for eight years. Sunita is currently undergoing treatment at Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) Ranchi.
The incident has turned political with Congress leaders demanding strict action against the BJP leader. The Congress leadership said that BJP has no respect for tribals.