Evidence not tampered in ex-minister sexual abuse case: MP CM

Claims that he has not even seen the CD so far

Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday refuted reports alleging tempering of compact disc (CD) purportedly exhibiting former state finance minister Raghavji in a compromising situation, and claimed that he has not even seen the content of the CD.

"I have not seen the CD so far, this is normal practice in Congress to hold me responsible for one or the other issue. I am saying with full authority that the evidence in the case was not being tampered with," Chouhan said here after paying homage to ex-deputy speaker and senior Congress leader Harwansh Singh, Vidya Charan Shukla, others and those who lost their lives in Uttrakhand disaster.

He, however, said his party (BJP) had taken all necessary actions against Raghavji who refused to resign from his legislative membership. “There is nothing more left in the matter,” Chouhan said adding, “Law will take its own course of action in this matter, we are not protecting him.”

"The party has already taken action,” Chouhan said.

After parleys of more than two-hours, the state BJP president on Sunday expelled Raghavji from its primary membership following allegations of sodomy leveled against him by his male domestic help. An FIR has been lodged in this regard in a local police station. Raghavji was also compelled to resign from state Cabinet last week.

On his part Raghavji had also suspicion of BJP’s internal politics being a factor to conspire against him as a local BJP leader, Shivshankar Pateria, the other day claimed to have a role in making the CDs. “I have 22 such CDs featuring him,” Pateria had said. He  I want to clean politics and expose the true face of Raghavji,” Pateria claimed.

Leader of opposition, Ajay Singh had on Sunday alleged that chief minister had misused his powers by seeing the CD and tempered with the facts and evidences in the Raghavji case.

"If he has not seen the CD then why has Raghavji been expelled from the party?” Ajay Singh asked. Referring to a case of former Union law minister Ashwini Kumar Singh said “if he can be asked to resign for having summoned a file from the CBI, Chouhan should also be asked to resign since he had summoned the CD. If Ashwini Kumar had tampered with evidence, then Shivraj Singh have done similar act by reportedly asking the police to provide the CD to him for watching it at his residence.”