New Delhi, IndiaAn Indian court remanded the sacked Delhi minister Sanjeev Kumar linked to a sex video to three days in police custody today.
Kumar was arrested on September 3 after a woman filed a sexual harassment complaint against him at a police station in north Delhi. She alleged that Kumar raped her 11 months ago when she had gone to his office seeking help. Kumar spiked her drink and took her to his house in an unconscious state, she said.
He has been booked under section 376 (rape), 328 (causing hurt by means of poison with intent to commit an offence) of IPC, under section 67A of IT Act (punishment for publishing or transmitting of material containing sexually explicit act) and Section 7 of the Prevention of Corruption Act (public servant taking gratification other than legal remuneration for an official act).
The woman also alleged that Kumar had promised her help in securing a government benefits card and jobs for her children.
Kumar was sacked as the women and child development minister on August 31, after a video of him and the complainant in a compromising position was released.
"He was arrested on a complaint filed by one of the woman seen in the video. She has alleged Kumar raped her. The investigations have just started," Vikramjit Singh, deputy police commissioner of Delhi, told AFP.
The MLA from Sultanpur Majra, a Delhi assembly constituency, had surrendered before the investigators at the office of deputy commissioner of police (outer) in west Delhi's Pitampura where his statement was recorded, police officials had said, PTI reported.
Soon after the video controversy, Kumar said that he had been targeted.
????? ???? ???? ??? ??? ??????? ?? ??????? ???? ?? ?? ???? ?? ?????? ?? ??? ???? ??? , ????? ???? ????? ?? ??? ?? 3/3
— Sandeep Kumar (@SandeepKumar) September 1, 2016
'Baba Sahib Bhim Rao Ambedkar's statue stands in my home and I talk about Dalits, that is why I am being implicated,' Kumar tweeted.
Delhi's ruling Aam Admi Party (AAP) led by anti-corruption campaigner Kejriwal has been hit by a series of controversies involving its legislators. Thirteen of its legislators have been charged with various crimes including rape, attempted murder and corruption since winning the elections in February 2015.
(WION with inputs from agencies)