Dhananjay Singh to face trial for rape

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Monday framed rape charges against BSP MP Dhananjay Singh for allegedly assaulting a 42-yearold railway employee repeatedly for nearly four years.

Additional Sessions Judge Savita Birbal, who framed charges against the BSP MP, fixed April 1, 2014 for the commencement of trial when the court will begin recording statements of the prosecution witnesses.

MP from Jaunpur in Uttar Pradesh, Singh will face trial on charges of rape, repeatedly raping the same woman, unnatural offence, voluntarily causing hurt and criminal intimidation.

The police claimed they had enough evidence to prove Singh’s guilt. They also said the victim’s medical reports corroborated her statement. The police alleged that the victim had been repeatedly raped by Singh at gunpoint.

Senior advocate Hariharan and advocate S P M Tripathi, who appeared for Singh, said there were inconsistencies and improvement in the statement of the victim due to which, the police should not rely on her statement alone.

Thirteen people, including three doctors, have been arranged as prosecution witnesses. The court had earlier denied bail to Singh on the ground that he could influence witnesses if released.

In 2013 Singh, along with his wife Jagriti, had also been charged with destruction of evidence and abetment of murder and attempt to murder of their maid. The couple is in judicial custody since their arrest in November 2013.