LJP MP PRINCE RAJ BOOKED FOR RAPE, MOVES BAIL PLEA

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Tuesday said it had registered a rape case against Lok Janshakti Party MP Prince Raj, prompting the lawmaker to move court for anticipatory bail alleging that he was blackmailed by the complainant. Raj is the cousin of LJP leader Chirag Paswan who, according to police, was also named in the FIR for allegedly trying to delay police action. No arrest has been made so far. The survivor approached the court in July, urging it to the police to register the FIR against Raj and Paswan, a senior officer said on condition of anonymity.

NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Tuesday said it had registered a rape case against Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP Prince Raj, prompting the lawmaker to move court for anticipatory bail alleging that he had been blackmailed by the complainant.

Raj is the cousin of LJP leader Chirag Paswan who, according to police, was also named in the first information report (FIR) for allegedly trying to delay police action in the case. No arrest has been made so far in connection with the case. The case under sections 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), 120b (criminal conspiracy) and 201 (destruction of evidence) against the Samastipur legislator was filed on September 9 following directions of a Delhi court and almost three months after the survivor, a party worker, lodged a complaint at Connaught Place police station, police said.

The survivor approached the court in July, seeking its intervention in directing the police to register the FIR against the Bihar Parliamentarian and Paswan, a senior officer said on condition of anonymity.

“The case against the LJP’S Samastipur MP has been registered on the court’s directions. Chirag Paswan has also been named in it. Both cases are under investigation,” the officer said.

Raj, who is in Ladakh with a Parliamentary delegation, could not be contacted for a comment.

LJP spokesperson Shravan Kumar claimed the allegations against Raj are a “political conspiracy” to malign him, and suggested it could be a case of “honey trapping”.

Speaking on behalf of Jamui MP Paswan, LJP spokesperson Ashraf Ansari said the FIR had mentioned only a line on Paswan. “In fact, the matter was first brought before him on January 8, and he immediately referred it to the party’s disciplinary committee,” Ashraf said.