Ex-BJP minister Raghavji arrested on sodomy charge

Former Madhya Pradesh finance minister Raghavji, who had to quit after his servant levelled allegations of sodomy against him, was arrested yesterday

He was arrested from a house in Kohefiza area of the city and taken to Habibganj police station, a police official said.

Shown the door: Raghavji was forced to resign from the cabinet on CM's direction. He was also expelled from primary membership of BJP. File pic

Police had, on Sunday, registered an FIR against the former BJP minister following his domestic help Rajkumar Dangi's complaint. Dangi has alleged that Raghavji sexually abused him for over three years on the promise of getting him a government job. He even claimed that a sex CD had also been made.

Raghavji had gone missing from Vidisha after the FIR was registered.

Meanwhile, the Congress accused Madhya Pradesh CM Shivraj Singh Chouhan of trying to shield his colleague but the BJP rejected the charge.

Congress leader and former Madhya Pradesh CM Digvijaya Singh said the charges against Raghavji were condemnable.

"The chief minister tried to save him but could not," Congress general secretary Digvijaya Singh said.

Madhya Pradesh BJP spokesperson Hitesh Bajpai said the allegations levelled by Digvijaya Singh were ‘baseless' and ‘untrue'. "He is fabricating lies for electoral gains. Nobody trusts him," Bajpai said.

BJP leaders rejected the Congress's allegation that Chouhan had seen the CDs. They said that Dangi had not given the CD with his complaint to police and there was no question of the CM viewing them. Chouhan also said he had not seen the CD.

Raghavji was forced to resign from the cabinet on Friday on Chouhan's direction. He was even expelled from primary membership of BJP on Sunday.
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