Thane: A 61-year-old local Shiv Sena leader has been arrested for allegedly raping a minor, who studied in a school run by him, with the crime coming to light after the girl recently delivered a child.

Vasudeo Nambiar, the district deputy chief of Shiv Sena who also owns a school and a temple in Kashimira township of Thane, was arrested on Friday in this connection, Kashimira police station inspector Anil Kadam said.

The girl studied in class IX at the school run by the accused, who took her out several times with him on the pretext of visit to the temple and then allegedly raped her repeatedly at a place in Thane district's Mira village in February this year, he said.

He also threatened the girl with dire consequences if she revealed about the offence to anybody, he said.

Later, the girl became pregnant and delivered a premature baby earlier this week, the police officer said.

Following the birth of the child, the hospital authorities reported the matter to police who booked Nambiar on Thursday and arrested him on Friday, he said.

The accused has been charged under sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC and section 4 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

He was produced before a local magistrate on Friday who remanded him in police custody till September 11, Kadam said.