Woman drugged and gang raped in Surat; BJP leader arrested

As outrage mounted, BJP scrambled to contain the fallout, suspending the accused from the party's Surat City ward general secretary post.
BJP's Aditya Upadhyay (right) and associate Gaurav Singh (centre) arrested in gang rape case.
BJP's Aditya Upadhyay (right) and associate Gaurav Singh (centre) arrested in gang rape case.Photo | Express
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AHMEDABAD: A chilling gang rape case has shocked Gujarat’s Surat city, with BJP Surat City ward general secretary Aditya Upadhyay at the centre of the storm. Upadhyay allegedly spiked a 23-year-old woman’s drink before driving her, half-conscious, to a hotel where his associate, Gaurav Singh, was already waiting. What followed was a brutal assault, as the duo took turns raping the victim.

Upon regaining consciousness, the survivor immediately contacted the police and lodged a formal complaint. Swift action followed: a case was filed, and both accused were arrested. As outrage mounted, the Bharatiya Janata Party scrambled to contain the fallout, suspending Upadhyay from his post without delay.

Speaking to the media, DCP of Surat Zone-5, Rakesh Barot, said, "A complaint was registered yesterday at Jahangir Pura police station in which a rape case was filed against two accused. Based on the complaint, we have now registered it as a gang rape case."

Suspension letter
Suspension letter

Barot further added, "The complainant stated that she was taken to a beach and offered a cold drink, after which she became intoxicated. The two accused then took her to a hotel and raped her."

According to Barot, the accused, identified as Aditya and Gaurav, have been arrested. "Further investigation is underway," he said.

According to sources, a routine market visit turned into a nightmare for a young woman in her early 20s in Surat, when she encountered Aditya Upadhyay, an acquaintance and the then-General Secretary of BJP’s Surat City Ward No. 8. Posing as a friendly face, Upadhyay coaxed her into his car under the pretext of a casual conversation.

Once inside, he offered her a caffeinated drink, laced with sedatives, leaving her semi-conscious within minutes. Seizing the opportunity, he drove her to a hotel, where his associate, Gaurav Singh, was already waiting. Behind closed doors, the two men allegedly took turns raping the incapacitated woman in a chilling display of premeditated brutality.

The horror did not end there. The accused dumped the survivor near her house after the assault, attempting to erase their tracks. But as soon as the woman regained consciousness, she approached the police and exposed the crime in full detail, triggering an immediate crackdown.

Surat Police wasted no time: both Upadhyay and Gaurav were arrested and charged. Investigators launched a thorough probe, examining hotel CCTV footage, car records, call data, and the survivor’s statement to strengthen the case.

What makes this incident even more incendiary is the political connection. The primary accused, Aditya Upadhyay, held a post in the ruling BJP’s local unit, a fact that sparked a wave of outrage. In swift damage control, BJP Surat city president Paresh Patel suspended Upadhyay from the party.

With remand proceedings underway, police say more damning revelations may soon surface as the investigation intensifies.

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