Madhya Pradesh: Case against Congress MLA on charges of raping woman

Police have registered a case against Madhya Pradesh Congress MLA and former minister Umang Singhar on charges of raping and assaulting a 38-year-old woman, a senior official said on Monday.

The case was lodged on Sunday evening at Naugaon police station in Dhar city following a complaint by the woman, who claimed she was living with the accused as his 'wife' and alleged that he sexually assaulted her, Dhar's Superintendent of Police (SP) Aditya Pratap Singh said.

The MLA, who represents Gandhwani seat and is also the Congress's national secretary, could not be contacted for his reaction. MP Congress Committee's media department chairman K K Mishra told PTI that he does not have information about the case but prima facie, it seems to be a "politically motivated" case.

SP Singh said the woman complained against the accused about physical torture, rape, abuse, committing unnatural act and threatening to kill her. Based on her complaint, the case was registered against the accused under Indian Penal Code Sections 294 (obscene act), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 376 (2) (rape), 377 (unnatural offences), 498 (A) (harassment of a woman) and 506 (criminal intimidation), the official said.

Further legal steps were being taken, he added. Meanwhile, Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra in a video statement said the case was registered against Singhar on the complaint of his wife.

According to information given by police, the MLA had other wives too, BJP leader Mishra claimed.