Nihal Chand Meghwal fails to appear before court

Jaipur, Nov 12: Union Minister of State for Panchayati Raj Nihal Chand Meghwal today did not appear for hearing in a

case in a local court here. His advocate appeared during the hearing in the court of additional District and Sessions Judge which posted the matter for next hearing on December 6.

Meghwal is one of the 17 accused in a rape case which was lodged by a married woman in 2011. The woman had approached the court in June this year seeking revision of the case which was closed by the police.

The woman, belonging to Sirsa, Haryana had alleged that her husband Om Prakash Godara had drugged her and had let his associates rape her in Jaipur. While the investigation was on for a year, it was closed by the police in 2012, calling the charges false and fabricated. The woman later moved the trial court, which again accepted the police report and dismissed her charges.

Just a few days after Nihal Chand was sworn-in as a minister, the woman sought revision following which the district court issued notices to Nihal Chand and 16 others, asking them to respond to the court. This caused a controversy, with the opposition party Congress demanding Nihal Chand's resignation.

He is the minister for Chemicals and Fertilizers.

PTI