After playing hide and seek with the police for three days, former Rajasthan Minister Babulal Nagar, accused of raping a 35-year-old woman, has finally consented to a medical examination, even as women’s groups in the State demanded that he be immediately arrested.
On Thursday, Mr. Nagar’s son Ravi informed the CB (CID) that his father was “ready for a medical examination.”
The Minister’s medical examination will be conducted on September 28, a CB (CID) spokesperson said.
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Meanwhile, the investigating officer questioned four members of Mr. Nagar’s family and one of his female staff members on Thursday.
Earlier, the probe into the rape allegations against Mr. Nagar had hit a hurdle when a police team, which went to his house to have him medically examined, had to return empty handed after being informed that the Minister had gone on a pilgrimage to Shirdi.
This came two days after the Rajasthan government recommended a CBI probe into the matter.
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Women’s groups accused the State government of shielding Mr. Nagar.
“That he is roaming free even with all the evidence against him is proof that the police have instructions from the higher authorities not to arrest him...we want to ask the Chief Minister if he doesn’t have a hand in protecting Mr. Nagar,” said a joint statement by several women’s organisations.
“The new amendments to the criminal law in India provide for imprisonment of six months to two years for investigating officers for not doing their work properly,” said the statement.
A 35-year-old woman had accused Mr. Nagar, who was then Minister of State, of calling her to his residence on September 11 and raping her.