Sacked minister suspended from AAP, booked for rape

New Delhi, Sep 3: On a day of dramatic developments, sacked Delhi Minister Sandeep Kumar today surrendered before police hours after a woman, who purportedly figured in an "objectionable" CD, filed a rape complaint against him, even as he was suspended by AAP.

After recording statement of the woman and Kumar, he was booked on charges of rape, transmission of material containing sexually explicit act and taking illegal gratification.

In her complaint, the woman alleged that around 11 months back she was raped by Kumar when she had gone to his office in Outer Delhi's Sultanpuri seeking help to obtain a ration card.

She alleged that Kumar had offered her a spiked drink and, when she fell unconscious, she was taken to his house adjacent to the office and raped. The woman alleged that Kumar had told her that he will get a ration card for her and also ensure jobs for her children.

Kumar has been booked under IPC sections 376 (rape), 328 (Causing hurt by means of poison with intent to commit an offence), 67A of the IT Act (punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act) and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (Public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration for an official act), said a senior police official.

Earlier in the day, AAP's Political Affairs Committee suspended the 36-year-old first-time MLA from the party and referred the matter to its disciplinary committee.

Kumar was removed from the council of ministers on August 31 by Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal after the CD purportedly showing him in compromising position with a woman surfaced.

The MLA from Sultanpur Majra surrendered before the investigators at the office of DCP (Outer) in Pitampura where his statement was recorded, senior police officials said. Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted that if the allegations were found to be true, Kumar should be given "exemplary punishment".

"If woman's allegations are correct, this is v serious. Strongest exemplary punishment shud be given to Sandeep," Kejriwal who is in Rome to attend Mother Teresa's canonisation tweeted.

PTI