Mumbai, Jan. 11 -- Tushar Apte, a co-accused in the 2024 Badlapur school sexual assault case, resigned on Saturday as a co-opted member of the Kulgaon-Badlapur Municipal Council, a day after his nomination to the post by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) triggered widespread backlash. Apte was a trustee of the school where two minor girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by a janitor in August 2024. He is an accused in the case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act for allegedly failing to report the offence to the authorities in time. He was arrested over a month after the incident, but granted bail within 48 hours. The prime accused, janitor Akshay Shinde, was arrested soon after the incident and was shot dead in an alleged police encounter in September 2024. The results of the Kulgaon-Badlapur municipal council elections were declared on January 3, following which the process to appoint five co-opted councillors was completed on January 9. A co-opted councillor is a member of the municipal council who is appointed rather than elected by voters. Apte was among the two co-opted councillors nominated by the BJP. Several posters were put up across Badlapur congratulating him and hailing him as one of the architects of the party's victory in the city. However, the nomination drew sharp criticism on Saturday from opposition parties as well as the BJP's ally, the Shiv Sena, prompting Apte to step down from the post later in the day. Apte did not respond to calls from Hindustan Times seeking comment. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Ambadas Danve said the episode had exposed the BJP's real face. "People who ran the school should have been in jail. It is shocking that such people are co-opted as councillors by the BJP. Our local shakha will stage a protest," he said. Social welfare minister and senior Shiv Sena leader Sanjay Shirsat said such appointments would provoke public anger, and the backgrounds of such people must be checked. "It is unfortunate that they appointed such a person as a nominated member," he said. Mumbai Congress president Varsha Gaikwad alleged that Apte had gone absconding after the case came to light and said it was inappropriate to appoint such a person as a councillor. BJP minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule said he was unaware of the matter. "It must have happened at the local level. I am not aware of it," he said....