Maharashtra minister Dhananjay Munde and the woman with whom he had an extra-marital relationship have decided to take the mediation route to settle the matter. The Social Justice Minister and the woman, with whom Munde has two children, filed their consent terms before the Bombay High Court on Thursday.
The development comes days after a woman who had accused Munde of rape withdrew her complaint. Munde had denied the allegation of rape by the woman and claimed that he was being blackmailed by the complainant and her sister with whom he was in a relationship since 2003.
Munde claimed that his family and friends knew about their relationship. “I have given my name to the children born out of the relationship. I have taken the responsibility of the kids as they stay with me. My wife has accepted the kids as part of my family. I have even helped her buy a flat in Mumbai and helped her brother establish his business,” Munde had said in a statement.
However, a month before the controversy over the rape case, Munde had filed a defamation suit before the Bombay High Court seeking a stay on his partner posting any of his private pictures and videos on social media. Munde’s live-in partner had started putting intimate pictures and videos of the duo on social media a few months prior to that.
Munde’s partner was not represented in the hearing and the court had granted the interim relief to the minister ex-parte. On Thursday, a mediator was appointed in the case and Munde has agreed to bear the cost.
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