Netizens Demand Indian State Chief's Arrest After Rape Allegations Against Him

A woman from India's Mumbai city has claimed that Jharkhand state chief, Hemant Soren raped her at a hotel in 2013.

An eight-page letter addressed to the Senior Inspector of Police at Mumbai's Bandra Police Station, in which the plaintiff, Ayesha Khan, asks for security and makes rape allegations against Jharkhand's state chief under their jurisdiction, has gone viral. 

In the letter, the young woman says she has no alternative but to send the complaint by email as her life is under threat.

"I met Suresh Nagre in 2012 through a friend we have in common, and eventually our acquaintance turned into friendship. On 5 September 2013, Nagre asked me to join him for a party at Hotel Taj Lands, Bandra West. He introduced me to Hemant Soren, saying he is a very famous person and that he knows most of the prominent people in Bollywood. Later that night, Soren forced himself on me and raped me," the letter read.

"In October 2013, I approached the Court of the Metropolitan Magistrate seeking action on my complaint. Then too, I could not gather the courage to approach the local police since my complaint was against Soren who was then - as well as now - state chief of Jharkhand, and Suresh Nagre," the letter read.

Khan further said that she was certain she would be harassed and that her complaint would be crushed by the tremendous political influence that the accused  men wield.

"Not surprisingly, within 10 days of filing, my complaint to the Magistrate met the same fate and I was coerced and put under pressure to withdraw it," she said.

Soren hasn't commented on the accusations yet.

Since the letter has gone viral, the 'Justice for Ayesha' campaign has gained momentum on social media in the past 24 hours with netizens urging the Mumbai Police to give Khan protection and immediately to arrest Soren.