Ex-Akali minister Langah acquitted in rape case
A local court here on Monday acquitted former Akali minister Sucha Singh Langah in a rape case filed against him by a Punjab Police woman constable.
Additional district and sessions judge Prem Kumar pronounced the verdict around 4 pm after hearing the final arguments of the public prosecutor and defence counsels Santokh Singh Basra and Karanjit Singh. Langah was present in the court.
As many as 23 witnesses had deposed during the trial.
The woman had on September 28 last year filed a complaint at the Gurdaspur police station claiming that she was repeatedly raped by Langah since 2009.
The woman had at that time also handed over a video clip to cops that later vent vial during Gurdaspur bypolls.
On his part, Langah had alleged political vendetta and maintained that he had been implicated in a false case.
The police had booked the SAD leader under IPC sections 376 (rape), 384 (extortion), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation). The SAD had expelled Langah soon after the case was registered.
On the complaint of Sikh radical groups, Langah was also ex-communicated from the community by Akal Takhat jathedar Giani Gurbachan Singh on August 6, 2017.
The prosecution case fell flat as the complainant turned hostile during a hearing in February this year. She reportedly told the judge that she did not know Langah and was never raped by him. She also maintained that “that she had filed the complaint under pressure”.