Charges framed against former Rajasthan minister in rape case

A court here Tuesday framed charges of rape, assault and intimidation against former Rajasthan minister Babulal Nagar, arrested for allegedly raping a married woman, a lawyer said.

Nagar's advocate A.K. Jain said that District and Sessions Judge V.K. Mathur framed charges against Nagar under sections 376 (rape), 323 (causing hurt) and 506 (intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

"CBI had filed a charge sheet against Nagar Oct 25 under the same IPC sections. The court retained all the charges levelled by CBI in the charge sheet," said Jain.

The case relates to allegations levelled by the 35-year-old complainant against the accused for causing hurt and committing rape Sep 11.

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) had taken over the investigation of the case, earlier registered by state police at Sodala police station here.

Nagar, 53, resigned from the then Congress government headed by Ashok Gehlot two days after the FIR was registered Sep 17. He was minister of state for dairy and rural industries.

In her police complaint, the 35-year-old woman alleged that Nagar called her to his official residence on the pretext of giving her a government job and raped her Sep 11.

Nagar is currently lodged in Jaipur Central Jail.