A major political controversy broke out in Maharashtra after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nominated Tushar Apte, an accused in the infamous Badlapur child sexual abuse case, as a corporator in the Kulgaon-Badlapur Municipal Council. The decision triggered widespread public outrage and sharp political backlash, forcing Apte to resign within hours of his appointment.
Apte’s nomination was announced on Friday along with four other nominated corporators. However, the move immediately drew protests, with citizens and opposition leaders questioning the propriety of appointing a person facing serious charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act to a public post.
The controversy dates back to August 2024, when two minor girls were allegedly sexually abused at a prominent school in Badlapur, sparking massive protests across the region. Apte, a sanitation worker at the school who also served as secretary to the school’s president, Uday Kotwal, was named as an accused in the case under the POCSO Act.
Following the registration of the case, both Kotwal and Apte allegedly went absconding and were arrested nearly 40 days later by the Thane Crime Branch from a farmhouse in Karjat. Apte was granted bail within 48 hours of his arrest. The case is currently pending before the Kalyan District and Sessions Court.
Opposition parties accused the BJP of gross insensitivity. NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule strongly condemned the nomination, calling it the “height of insensitivity” and questioning the party’s priorities. “By nominating an accused in the Badlapur child sexual abuse case, the BJP has made its priorities clear. The safety of children and women should be paramount for any government,” she wrote on social media.
Amid mounting criticism, Apte resigned from the post, reportedly following directions from the BJP’s state leadership. Confirming his resignation, Apte said he stepped down to prevent damage to the party’s image and the reputation of the school.