71-year-old personal secretary of Sonia Gandhi booked on rape charges

DCP (Dwarka) Harsh Vardhan said, “Allegations are levelled against a 71-year-old person. He is working as PS to a senior political leader. A complaint was received… on June 25. A case under IPC section 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) has been registered. We are investigating the matter.”

Madhavan told The Indian Express: “It is a baseless allegation just to defame the Congress party. There is no truth in it. It is a complete conspiracy.”

According to police, the woman lodged a complaint accusing Madhavan of allegedly raping and harassing her on several occasions on the pretext of offering her a job and marrying her.

The woman said she met the accused soon after she lost her husband during the Covid lockdown in 2020. Her husband used to work as a helper at the party office. She said she would often go to the Congress office in search of a job.

“My financial condition wasn’t good and I went to the Congress office where I got Sonia Gandhi’s PA P P Madhavan’s number. I told him I was in need of a job and he promised to help me… On January 21 (this year), he called me for an interview. He asked me many questions and viewed all my documents… He then told me that he wanted to marry me. I said yes… One day, he called me to meet him… He came to pick me up in a car… he asked his driver to leave the car. He sexually assaulted me and tried to rape me. When I objected to this, he got angry and left me on the road alone,” the woman alleged, as per the FIR.

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The complainant alleged the accused later apologised to her and they started talking again. After a few days, he again called her to meet him.

“In February, he called me to meet him… (and) raped me. Later, he told me that his wife had seen my mobile number… I was shocked to hear all this. I asked him about his wife, but he kept ignoring me… he then forced me to have sex with someone else. I refused… He threatened me saying they (party) have been ruling for 70 years and that he would get me kidnapped. I was scared,” alleges the FIR.

Police said the woman lodged a complaint on June 25 and was sent to DDU hospital for a medical examination. Based on her statement and examination, a case was registered against Madhavan.

Madhavan in a statement said: “Recently it has been brought to my knowledge that some media reports are floating wherein it has been propagated that a complaint has been filed against me… wherein I have been accused of sexual offences by a woman who claims to be a Congress worker and who was promised a job by me. I have got to know of registration of the alleged FIR only from media reports. Though had appeared before the Station House Officer… on 25.6.2022 and put forth my explanation whereafter I was asked to leave.”

“I have the evidence to demonstrate and establish that the alleged complaint has been made in a pre-concerted manner in order to settle a political vendetta and the present complaint is devoid of merits. I condemn the smear campaign run against me by the complainant and the people behind her and the same appears to be propelled by sick minds in order to vilify the image of a reputed 71-year-old man known for his service to society.”

He further said: “As per the media reports, the allegations against me referred to an event which occurred in February 2022, which is to say more than four months prior to the registration of an FIR. This itself shows that the FIR is solely intended to vilify me and to cast aspersions on my long and sincere career. I reserve my rights to lawfully contest the alleged FIR against me and also to take recourse to the available legal remedies against the false and malicious complaint which has been filed against me… I have had a long career spanning over 47 years wherein I have dedicatedly worked in the social sphere and to date there has not been a single blot on my reputation.”