The accused was charged by the district rural police, officials said. (Representational)
A man, who married a 22-year-old woman but later deserted her as she belonged to a "lower caste", has been charged with allegedly raping her, police said on Thursday.
The accused, Swapnil Mali from Saravati in Bhiwandi, was charged by the district rural police on Wednesday, an official said.
"As per the complaint filed by the woman from Achole in Nalasopara, Mali had become friends with her on a social media platform and married her at a court in Bandra months later," Palghar police said.
"The woman alleged that he repeatedly raped her between July and August this year. When she asked him to take her to his house, the accused flatly refused and said that members of his community do not marry people from lower caste. Thereafter, he abandoned her," the official added.
A case was registered against Swapnil Mali at a local police station. He was charged with rape, cheating under sections of the Indian Penal Code and the SC/ST (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, he said.
Investigation into the case is on, police said.