AAP MLA Rakhi Birla's father booked on rape charge

AAP MLA Rakhi Birla's father and a local party leader have been booked for allegedly raping a 24-year-old married woman on the pretext of giving her a ticket for the MCD elections, police said today.
The party, however, termed the allegations as "baseless".
A case has been registered against AAP leader Ram Pratap Goyal and Bhupender, father of Delhi Assembly Deputy Speaker Rakhi Birla, under IPC section 376 D (gangrape) and 506 (criminal intimidation), they said.
According to the complainant, Goyal and Bhupender established physical relation with her on the promise of giving her party ticket for the Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) elections, said a senior police officer.

The complainant told police that she met Goyal at Sector 3, Rohini in north-west Delhi and they exchanged numbers. They remained in touch for nearly 4-5 months and was promised a party ticket for the MCD elections.
She said in her complaint that Goyal called her near his office one day to talk about the ticket. He then took her to a vacant flat of his friend and established physical relation with her, police said.

As per the woman, she was "exploited" by the accused at various places, including hotels and her own house, and when she asked the leader about the ticket, he coaxed her to have intercourse with Bhupender.

She said in her complaint that she was forced to sleep with Bhupender at her house and at a hotel in Connaught Place on November 5, police said, adding that the accused made an MNS of the crime and threatened to ruin her life.
Police said the accused also pestered the woman to establish physical relations with other men to get the party ticket.
Meanwhile, AAP Delhi convener Dilip Pandey said the allegation had no substance and was yet another attempt by BJP to tarnish AAP's image.
"Ram Pratap Goyal holds the post of block treasurer in Rohini. He is a respected leader. Neither he nor Bhupender remembers meeting the complainant at any point of time," he said.

Both the accused were unavailable for questioning and efforts are on to reach them, said the police officer.