Police have started a probe against BJP’s Basirhat Lok Sabha candidate Rekha Patra and her aide Mampi Das for allegedly intimidating a young Sandeshkhali homemaker who has filed a plea before the cops to withdraw her rape complaint, claiming she was not raped.

The homemaker, who had earlier claimed to have been raped by goons close to arrested former Trinamool strongman Sheikh Shahjahan, on Saturday submitted an appeal to withdraw her complaint.

The woman’s move comes in the backdrop of purported sting videos where local BJP leader Gangadhar Koyal claimed at least 75 women were paid Rs 2,000 by the saffron camp to lodge fake rape complaints. The Telegraph has not verified the authenticity of the videos.

The two videos on Sandeshkhali have put Bengal BJP on the backfoot. Trinamool has gone all out to attack the saffron camp, accusing it of creating “fake narratives” of sexual assault to malign Bengal.

The BJP was in for further embarrassment when it learnt on Sunday that one of the alleged victims of sexual assault wanted to withdraw her complaint. Sources said local BJP leaders, including the party’s Basirhat candidate Rekha Patra, rushed to the woman's residence on Sunday and allegedly threatened her with dire consequences if she withdrew the complaint.

On Monday morning, the woman sought protection from the Sandeshkhali police and a probe against Rekha.

Family sources said the woman was forced to file a rape complaint in exchange for legal support offered by BJP leaders to get her brother released.

Her brother was arrested in connection with the torching of a poultry farm of Shahjahan aide and local Trinamool leader Shib Prasad Hazra by a violent mob a couple of months back.

A relative of the woman said: “Rekha’s close aide Mampi asked her to lodge a rape complaint. She said the rape complaint could help her ensure her brother's release.”

The family member claimed that the woman panicked ever since the videos of fake complaints emerged and decided to withdraw her own complaint "even at the cost of defying Mampi and Rekha".

Neither Rekha nor Mampi responded to calls made to their mobile phones by the newspaper on Monday.

A senior police officer of Basirhat police district confirmed receiving the woman’s complaint.

“Two days ago, the woman filed the petition to withdraw her rape complaint. Her appeal has been forwarded to the court for further proceedings. She further appealed for protection and complaint against some BJP leaders including Rekha Patra seeking legal action for alleged threats by them. The veracity of the complaint is being examined,” the officer said.

Trinamool’s local panchayat samiti member Dilip Mullick, assaulted by a mob on Sunday, told The Telegraph:“The truth of staged drama will be out and Rekha will lose her face.”

The developments have spurred the BJP’s state leadership into action.

Priyanka Tibrewal, a BJP leader and a lawyer for Sandeshkhali victims, wrote to the CBI requesting on Monday, seeking security for victims. Tibrewal alleged that local Trinamool leaders and the police were harassing the victims to withdraw complaints.

Quoting a May 2 Calcutta High Court order, Tibrewal said: “I urged the CBI to take steps to assuage plights of the victims of sexual violence and other affected women in Sandeshkhali. There is an urgent need for the CBI to take remedial measures and ensure public faith and confidence in the probe....”

On ground zero, women supporters of the saffron camp hit the streets to protest the arrest of four BJP supporters in connection with the assault of Mullick on Sunday in the presence of party MLA Sukumar Mahato.

A team of Sandeshkhali police on Sunday night picked up Utpal Maiti, Suprakash Mondal, Ajit Sardar and Gita Bar for their alleged role in the attack. They were produced in the additional chief judicial magistrate’s court in Basirhat and sent in police custody for 10 days.

BJP supporters protested against the arrests on Monday, blocking an arterial road at Kathpole market of Bermajur panchayat. They claimed that the police were raiding their homes.

The police denied the charge and said they were "only trying to establish the rule of law in the area".