Argument on charges against BSP MP to be heard Saturday

A court here fixed Saturday to hear argument on charges in a case against Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Dhananjay Singh and his wife for torturing their maid, leading to her death.

Additional Sessions Judge Lokesh Kumar Sharma Friday posted the argument on charges for Saturday.

Police will likely to submit a report on the compliance of an earlier order by a magisterial court in November 2013, where the judge directed them to protect the witnesses in the case.

The MP's counsel S.P.M. Tripathi, while requesting the court to release his client on bail, has told the court last month that the witnesses were already granted protection by police and there was no chance for his client to influence them.

The court had however rejected the bail plea of the MP, accused of destroying evidence to shield his wife, who was arrested for torturing her maid leading to her death.

It had said the position of victims was weaker as compared to the accused and intimidation of witnesses could not be ruled out.

Dhananjay Singh, sitting MP from Uttar Pradesh's Jaunpur, was charge-sheeted Feb 1 along with his wife Jagriti for various offences, including destroying evidence and abetting murder and attempt to murder.

The BSP leader and his wife, who is a dental surgeon in a government hospital here, were arrested in November 2013 and are currently in judicial custody.