BSP MP Dhananjay Singh now booked for rape

After being arrested in connection with the torture and murder of his maid-servant, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) parliamentarian Dhananjay Singh has been booked for raping a 42-year-old married woman, police said Thursday.

Dhananjay was booked under Sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) after the woman filed a complaint at east Delhi's Pandav Nagar police station Wednesday evening, claiming that the MP raped her several times at gunpoint.

"The woman, a government employee, alleged that she was sexually assaulted by Dhananjay at her house in east Delhi's Mayur Vihar Phase-I several times between July 2005 and March 2009," a police officer said.

The woman told police that the first time she met the MP at her residence in February 2005 was when her husband invited him over for lunch.

"After the lunch party, the MP started visiting the victim's home in the absence of her husband. The victim opposed him, but he continued visiting her residence and started forcing her to enter into an illicit relationship with him. In July 2005, she was raped the first time by the MP at her house, after being threatened at gunpoint," the officer said.

According to the police, the woman did not report the matter earlier as she had been threatened of dire consequences if she spoke of the matter to anyone.

The victim's statement will be recorded under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (examination of a victim of rape) at Karkardooma court Monday.

"The investigation in the case has been launched and Dhananjay Singh might be questioned considering this case, if needed," said the officer.

The MP and his wife Jagriti Singh are currently in judicial custody after being arrested Nov 5 in connection with the torture and death of their domestic help, Rakhi, and for torturing another servant Rampal, 17.

Dhananjay, who represents Jaunpur Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, was booked for destruction of evidence and violating the provisions of the Juvenile Justice Act. Jagriti, a dentist at a government hospital, has been booked for murder, attempt to murder and for violating the Juvenile Justice Act.

The MP has numerous cases pending against him in Lucknow and Jaunpur, including those of murder.

At Jaunpur's Sikrara police station alone, history sheet number 12 A lists 11 cases against him in 1998.

When Uttar Pradesh director general (health) Bachchi Lal was shot dead in 2001, Dhananjay was arrested for murderous conspiracy, but was later acquitted.

In 2011, he was arrested over the murders of a contractor and a tea stall owner, and later got bail.