AAP Vadodara Chief Ashok Oza Arrested in Rape and Blackmail Case; Faces Second Criminal Probe in a Week

Vadodara, June 2026: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Vadodara city president Ashok Oza was arrested on Wednesday after a woman accused him of rape, criminal intimidation and blackmail, marking the second criminal case registered against him within a week.

The case was lodged at Kapurai Police Station in Vadodara following a complaint by a 40-year-old woman who alleged that Oza sexually exploited her over several years, recorded compromising photographs and videos, and used them to threaten and blackmail her. Police confirmed that Oza was taken into custody soon after the complaint was registered and has been remanded to police custody for further investigation.

According to police officials, the woman stated in her complaint that she first came into contact with Oza several years ago when he allegedly offered assistance to her family. She claimed that Oza assured her that he would help secure employment for her husband and gradually gained the family’s trust.

The complainant has alleged that Oza later began exploiting her and sexually assaulted her on multiple occasions. According to the First Information Report (FIR), she stated that one of the incidents took place at Oza’s residence, where she was allegedly intoxicated before being raped. The complaint further claims that Oza subsequently took her to various locations, including Mumbai, where he allegedly continued to sexually assault her in hotel rooms.

The woman has also accused Oza of secretly recording explicit photographs and videos and later using those materials to threaten her. According to the complaint, she was repeatedly warned that the images and videos would be made public if she disclosed the incidents or approached law enforcement authorities.

The allegations extend beyond Oza himself. The complainant has named members of his family, including his son Anand Oza, wife and daughter, in the case. She has alleged that Anand Oza also sexually assaulted her while threatening to circulate compromising material. The complaint further states that Oza’s wife and daughter harassed and intimidated her on multiple occasions.

Vadodara Deputy Commissioner of Police (Zone 3), Abhishek Gupta, confirmed the arrest and said investigators have secured four days of police custody to examine the allegations in detail.

“The accused has been arrested and police custody has been obtained for further investigation. The complainant has alleged that she was continuously threatened with the release of her photographs and videos if she reported the matter. The evidence submitted by her is being examined and the investigation is ongoing,” Gupta said.

Police have begun collecting digital evidence, verifying the claims made in the complaint and recording statements from individuals connected to the case. Officials said all allegations are being thoroughly investigated and further legal action will be taken based on the findings.

The latest arrest comes at a time when Oza is already facing scrutiny in another criminal case registered only days earlier. On May 30, he and an associate, Nitin Dobariya, were arrested by the Anand Cyber Crime Police for allegedly impersonating an Intelligence Bureau (IB) officer and issuing threats to an AAP worker over the phone.

Investigators in that case alleged that several AAP workers in Gujarat had reported receiving threatening calls from individuals claiming to be officials from the Intelligence Bureau. The matter gained attention after complaints surfaced on social media platforms.

According to the police investigation, the phone number used for one of the calls was traced to Dobariya. Authorities alleged that the call was made at Oza’s direction and that the caller falsely identified himself as an officer attached to the “Karelibaug IB office.” Police claimed the threats were linked to internal party disputes and had no connection with any official government agency.

In the cyber crime case, Oza and Dobariya were booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita related to criminal conspiracy, impersonation and intimidation, along with Section 66D of the Information Technology Act dealing with cheating by personation using electronic communication.

With two separate criminal investigations now underway, police said they are continuing to gather evidence in both matters. Authorities have indicated that additional action may follow depending on the outcome of the investigations and the material collected during the probe.