Former Rajasthan minister Babu Lal Nagar acquitted of rape charges

Source:- indiatoday.intoday.in

JAIPUR: Former Rajasthan minister Babu Lal Nagar was acquitted of rape charges by the district and sessions court in Jaipur on Monday.

The court of additional district judge (Jaipur district) Prahlad Rai Sharma pronounced the judgment in a courtroom packed by Nagar supporters. “The court acquitted Nagar giving him benefit of doubt. We fought the case on grounds that the complainant was under political and criminal pressure to frame the then minister,” said V K Bali and Purshottam Sharma, lawyers of Nagar.

Nagar had been arrested by the CBI on October 25, 2013 on charges of raping a married woman after allegedly calling her on the pretext of giving a government job.

Nagar was second minister and third Congress legislator to be arrested on charges of sexual exploitation of women during the previous Ashok Gehlot government. Nagar then represented Dudu assembly constituency in Jaipur district.

The case was initially handed over to the state police’s CID (crime branch), but Nagar continued to be minister and the probe was dragged on for nearly a month, prompting people to question the police’s impartiality. The matter was finally handed over to the CBI on October 9, 2013 following which Nagar was arrested.

The crime was allegedly committed at the minister’s government bungalow in Civil Lines on September 11, 2013 and an FIR was registered on September 13, 2013 at the directions of a court. The city police initially declined to accept the woman’s complaint against Nagar, who was then minister for dairy, khadi and rural industries. Nagar used to flaunt his proximity to the then chief minister Gehlot.