A First Incident Report has finally been filed against Gajendrasinh Parmar, former BJP cabinet minister and current MLA of Prantij, at the Sector 21 Police Station in Gandhinagar. In addition to rape, Parmar has also been charged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989. The move comes after the Gujarat High Court cracked down the state government for not filing the FIR despite “multiple representations”. 

The Dalit victim, who runs an NGO, has been sent for medical examination, according to Deputy Superintendent of Police SM Chaudhary of Gandhinagar Police.

According to the FIR, the woman told the police that she and Parmar were acquainted when he called her to his residence in the MLA Quarters in Gandhinagar’s Sector 21 on July 30, 2020. He reportedly told her that he was in love with her and, while admitting that he was married, said, “I will keep you with me forever and fulfill all your duties and responsibilities.” 

Parmar then plied her with ice cream and water, and coerced her into intercourse. Soon after, he broke off all contact with her, she reportedly told the police, the FIR states..

The police had previously given a clean chit to the MLA, without registering an FIR. When questioned by the Gujarat High Court, the state’s counsel told the court that the woman had “wavered” in her statements, and initially filed her complaint “eight months after the alleged incident”. Counsel added that the police had not been remiss in their duty. 

According to the FIR filed on October 19, Parmar attempted to intimidate her into silence. 

“One day, (Parmar) called me on WhatsApp and threatened me, saying, ‘If you tell anyone about this, my men will kidnap you and keep you locked up.’ He also threatened to implicate me in a “wrong case” to harass me,” the woman told the police. 

He allegedly also boasted of his political clout and said, “I have a lot of respect. No one can spoil me,” the woman asserted in the FIR. 

Prior to the HC’s intervention, the woman — who has a minor daughter — reportedly attempted suicide at Rajasthan’s Jodhpur court premises on December 16, 2023. Media reports from the time stated that she was in a state of desperation, since the Rajasthan police did not register her case either, allegedly due to Parmar’s political affiliations.