Case Filed Against Seven for Stalking Union Minister’s Daughter at Jalgaon Fair

Jalgaon, 3rd March 2025: A group of seven men has been booked for allegedly stalking and harassing a Union minister’s daughter and her friends at a village fair in Jalgaon district on Friday. The case was registered on Sunday following a complaint by the minor girl.

The accused have been charged under various provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), including Section 75(1) (sexual harassment), Section 78(2) (stalking), Section 79 (outraging a woman’s modesty), and Section 189(2) (unlawful assembly), along with relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and the Information Technology Act.

Muktainagar Deputy Superintendent of Police Krishnakant Pingle confirmed the development, stating, “One suspect has been detained, and efforts are underway to apprehend the remaining accused.”

Incident at the Fair
According to police sources, the minister’s daughter and a group of her friends had gone to attend a religious fair in Muktainagar taluka on Friday night. Considering security concerns, a police constable was assigned to accompany them.

While at the fair, the girls decided to go on a Ferris wheel ride, during which a group of men allegedly began following them and passing inappropriate comments. One of the individuals was seen making a video call, raising suspicions that he might have been taking pictures or recording videos of the girls.

Sensing something was amiss, the constable—who was in uniform—attempted to check the suspect’s mobile phone. However, the situation escalated when the group started arguing and shouting at the policeman. They allegedly heckled both the constable and the girls, forcing the constable to step in and safely escort the girls back home.

Following the incident, a separate case was lodged based on the constable’s complaint, invoking BNS Section 132 (assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from duty) and Section 189(2) (unlawful assembly).

Minister Demands Strict Action
The Union minister, who was in Gujarat at the time of the incident, rushed to Jalgaon on Sunday to meet the police and demand swift action. Speaking to reporters outside the police station, the minister said:

“I am here today not as a Union minister, but as a concerned parent. If my daughter, despite being the child of an MP, can be harassed in such a manner, one can only imagine what other girls might be facing. This is why I am pushing for the strictest possible action against the culprits.”

The minister also revealed that his daughter had been harassed by the same group of men a few days earlier, but she had not initially reported it.

The police assured that a thorough investigation is underway, and all efforts are being made to apprehend the remaining accused.