Charges framed against Raja Bhaiyya, 18 others

Pratapgarh, Jan 9 (UNI) A local court here has framed charges against Uttar Pradesh Food and Civil Supplies Minister and controversial Independent MLA Raghuraj Pratap Singh alias 'Raja Bhaiyya' and 18 others for criminally intimidating a Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leader.

According to prosecution, on December 22, 1997, BSP leader Shiv Prakash Mishra had lodged an FIR against Raja Bhaiyya and his supporters, alleging that the Minister, alongwith his aides had indulged in violence and issued life threats to him during the election campaign.

Civil Court (Kunda) Judge Naresh Kumar last evening fixed charges against Raja Bhaiyya, Nagar Panchayat (Kunda) President Raghvendra Pratap Singh alias Babblu and 17 others.

The court has ordered issuance of summons to the petitioner and other witnesses, and fixed January 16 for the next hearing.

Earlier on December 20, the court of Kunda Judicial Magistrate Naresh Kumar acquitted Raja Bhaiyya and Samajwadi Party (SP) MP alias Gopalji in separate cases after most of the witnesses turned hostile. Two cases were pending against the duo at Manikpur and Nawabganj police stations for assault and criminal intimidation.

UNI