HYDERABAD: A case has been registered against an advocate who is also a local BJP leader in Telangana for allegedly raping a woman in 2007, police said on Monday.

The 47-year old woman filed a complaint alleging that she was raped by the advocate M Raghunandan Rao, following which a case of rape was registered against him, police said. The woman alleged that in 2007 the advocate called her to his office at Patancheru and gave coffee laced with some substances and "raped" her when she fell unconscious.

However, Rao, who contested the Lok Sabha elections in 2019 from Medak constituency as a BJP candidate, termed the allegations as false. The woman said she had filed a harassment case against her husband in 2003 and maintenance case through the leader who was practising at that time.

In the complaint, the woman claimed the advocate also threatened to publish photos taken in compromising positions on the social media, police said. Based on the complaint, a case on charges of rape, threatening, blackmailing under relevant IPC sections was registered against the advocate.

The woman had last month filed a petition before the Telangana State Human Rights Commission alleging Rao, as an advocate, who appeared for her and defended her in maintenance case, had demanded sexual favours.

The Commission had directed the police to register a case if the woman filed a complaint with them, provided the contents disclose a cognisable offence and investigate the case and submit an action taken report.

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