FIR against Bihar minister for mental harassment

A case has been lodged against Bihar minister Shyam Rajak for mental harassment of a woman staff of a media organisation prompting the opposition today to seek his resignation but the minister rubbished it as a "political conspiracy."

An FIR has been lodged with Sashtri Nagar police station of the capital against Rajak and an employee of Doordarshan for mental harassment of a woman staff of DD.

The FIR has been registered under sections 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation) yesterday, the police said.

The case has been lodged on the basis of a written complaint of a 45-year-old Assistant Director of Patna DD that the minister intimidated her over phone on November 22 and some anti-socials visited her home two days back and issued threat in the name of the minister.

City Superintendent of Police Jay Kant said that the police was inquiring into the case.
The incident prompted the opposition BJP and RJD to seek resignation of Rajak, who is Food and Civil Supplies minister in Nitish Kumar government.

But, the minister rubbished the charge.

"I telephoned her to look into some departmental issue which another employee of DD had brought to me," he told reporters outside state Assembly today.

"As a politician its our duty to look into problems of people," he said but categorically denied charge of mental harassment or intimidating the lady.

"I know her for past many years. The charge of mental harassment is fabricated and seems part of a political conspiracy against me," Rajak added.

The minister, who is also JD(U) national General Secretary and had crossed over to JD(U) from RJD, said he was ready for any type of inquiry into the matter.

He said he had no talks with the Chief Minister on the issue.

MLC and state JD(U) spokesman Sanjay Singh, who had made a controversial remark yesterday while defending the minister that he did not do any "cher-char" (harassment), stuck to his statement today.

"I stand by my comment that Rajak did not indulge in any cher-char," he said adding he said so in reply to the woman's complaint of mental harassment.