Raghavji, Madhya Pradesh finance minister, quits over sodomy allegations

 

Sanjeev Ratan Singh & Suchandana Gupta, TNN | Jul 5, 2013, 03.23 PM IST

MP finance minister resigns over sodomy charges

 

BHOPAL: A 30-year-old man has lodged a complaint of sodomy against senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and Madhya Pradesh finance minister Raghavji here on Friday. The leader tendered his resignation soon after the news broke out.
The complainant, who claims to be an associate of Raghavji, also mentioned about an obscene CD in his complaint of which the details were not revealed by the police.
Bhopal SP Jayant Singh Rathore confirmed to TOI that a complaint has been received against Raghavji, 80, and the matter is under investigation.
Police said that the complainant was asked to produce the evidence to substantiate the charges. He would also have to undergo medical examination as the matter pertains to unnatural sex, the police added.
The victim, who hails from Vidisha district from where the leader belongs, said that he was being physically exploited for the past 3 years.
Initial reports suggested that the victim was working as Raghavji's servant. The police, however, denied those reports saying that the victim was just an associate.
The police maintained that an FIR would be registered only after verifying the charges levelled against the senior BJP leader.
Chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan called the finance minister, who has been holding the portfolio since December 2003, and asked him to submit his resignation without any delay.
Sources in the Madhya Pradesh BJP said that the chief minister was furious when reports of the alleged CD surfaced.
Raghavji's resignation was accepted before noon and Chouhan handed over the charge of the finance department to Madhya Pradesh minister for water resources Jayant Malaiyya.
Speaking to reporters, Raghavji said, "There was no pressure on me to resign. I voluntarily resigned from the post."
Asked about the allegations levelled against him, he argued, "I don't know what he has said in his complaint. He belongs to a very poor family and I have always helped him. He has been working in my house for the past three to four years and never complained. If now he is alleging immoral behaviour then it is surely a conspiracy. And if the Congress makes this an issue, it would only expose their mentality."
Madhya Pradesh Congress also hinted that it is in possession of the alleged CD which could badly damage BJP's plan of a hattrick return in Madhya Pradesh.
Congress leader Ajay Singh accepted that Congress has a copy of the CD but remains tight-lipped about its whereabouts. "I have no knowledge about who exactly is in possession of the CD in the state Congress but if we did not have it, the finance minister would not have been asked to resign. It is very unfortunate that a senior leader has been accused of such grave misconduct," he said.