JOIN USRape victim to meet Modi over Meghwal sacking
The alleged rape case involving Union Minister of State (MoS) Nihal Chand Meghwal has become a bone of contention for the BJP leadership.
While the Congress is constantly putting pressure on the NDA government to remove Meghwal, the rape survivor has also announced plans to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi over this issue.
“Nihal Chand who is minister for state (MoS) in Modi government is accused in a rape case. He has no right to continue on the post after such severe allegations. The victim, along with relatives, has sought appointment in PMO. They will meet Prime Minister Modi and ask him to sack the accused and ensure justice to the victim,” said the victim’s advocate, Chandu Ram Yadav.
A day earlier, the victim and her family members addressed the press at Rajasthan’s Sriganganagar, which falls in Meghwal’s constituency. The victim had said that she will continue with her battle until she gets justice.
She also sought police protection and alleged that the minister was putting pressure on her family members to withdraw the allegations against him.
“We will move the application in court to provide police protection to the victim and her family. According to the victim, pressure is being put on her family members to withdraw the case,” said Yadav.
Earlier a lower court had had issued legal notices to the Union Minister of State (MoS) for Chemicals and Fertilisers and 17 others in a four-year-old rape case. All the accused have been asked to appear before the court by August 20.
Accusing Nihal Chand and 17 others for wrongful confinement and sexual exploitation, the victim had filed an FIR in 2011 in Vaishali Nagar police station of Jaipur.
In the FIR, the 17-year-old victim had named Nihal Chand Jogeswar Garg, a minister in an earlier BJP government, then DSP Anil Rao, then inspector Mahavir, a former students’ union president Pushpendra Bharadwaj, her brother-in-law Radheshyam Godara and 11 others.
In 2012, police filed the final report (FR) saying that the allegations were false and baseless and no evidence was found to prove rape. After the FIR by police, the case was closed.
Later the victim filed a review petition in the lower court in 2013 challenging the FR filed by the police. She challenged the FIR in court saying that police has favoured the BJP leaders and she still stood by her complaint. As the case proceeded, the court served notices to all accused.
According to the woman’s initial complaint, her husband Om Prakash Godara forced her into prostitution soon after their marriage in December 2010. The FIR in 2011 was registered following directions from a local court.