Ex-MP Dhananjay to face trial from July 2 in maid murder case

Former BSP MP Dhananjay Singh was today put on trial by a Delhi court for the alleged offence of destruction of evidence in the maid murder case.
Additional Sessions Judge Amit Bansal framed charges against Dhananjay after he pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.
The court fixed the case for July 2 for commencing the trial by recording of prosecution evidence.
The court also framed charges against Dhananjay's wife Jagriti under various sections of the IPC, including 302 (murder), 506 (criminal intimidation), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means) after she pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.
The court has discharged Dhananjay for alleged offences under various provisions of the IPC, including 202(intentional omission to give information of offence by person bound to inform), 109 (punishment of abetment of offence) read with 302 (murder), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and 307 (attempt to murder).

It also framed charges against Jagriti for the offences of murder and under sections 326 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 344 (wrongfully confining for 10 or more days), 374 (unlawful compulsory labour), 201 (destruction of evidence)/ 202, voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means and criminal intimidation of the IPC.

Jagriti, however, was discharged for the alleged offence of attempt to murder and under sections 325 (punishment for voluntarily causing grievous hurt), 377 (unnatural offences) and 370 (buying or disposing of any person as a slave) of IPC.
The court had ordered framing of charges against Dhananjay for the offence of destruction of evidence only.

Apart from other provisions, he was also discharged of the alleged offences of voluntarily causing grievous hurt by dangerous weapons or means, buying or disposing of any person as a slave and unlawful compulsory labour.
The couple were arrested on November 5, 2013 in connection with the death of their 35-year-old maid Rakhi Bhadra, a resident of West Bengal.
Dhananjay, represented through advocate S P M Tripathi, was then an MP from Jaunpur constituency of Uttar Pradesh while Jagriti was a dental surgeon at a government hospital here.
Dhananjay is out on bail while Jagriti, represented through advocate P K Dubey, is in judicial custody.