india

Updated: Mar 28, 2019 00:03 IST

Jamtara police have registered an FIR against state agriculture minister Randhir Singh, based on a complaint by a zila parishad member, who accused the minister of assault, police said on Wednesday.

An FIR was also lodged against the zila parishad member and one Ramkishor Mandal, based on the complaint of a BJP worker Jitan Mandal, who levelled allegations of theft, extortion and assault against them.

Jamtara sub-divisional police officer (SDPO) Arvind Upadhyay said, “FIRs have been lodged against the minister as well as the zila parishad member on basis of two separate complaints. We are examining the allegations of both sides. Based on our investigation, we will take further action.”

Sections 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 354 (assault or use of criminal force on a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 427 (causing damage), 504 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of the peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) and 34 (acts done by several persons in furtherance of common intention) were registered against the BJP legislator from Sarath.

Sections 341, 323, 379 (theft), 385 (putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion), 353 (deterring public servant from discharge of his duty) and 34 were lodged against the zila parishad member and Ramkishor.

The woman said that cases against her were lodged under pressure from the BJP minister.

“Charges of theft and extortion were levelled against me. Being a public representative, can I steal or demand extortion in front of hundreds of villagers? These are all baseless allegations against me,” she said.

On Tuesday, the zila parishad member had alleged that the BJP minister abused, slapped repeatedly and broke her eyeglasses amid hundreds of villagers during a religious function at Kalajharia village under the Karmatand police station. The minister, however, termed the allegations a political conspiracy, saying he will write to the DGP on the issue.

The opposition parties have condemned the incident and demanded immediate resignation of the BJP minister.