Uttarakhand high court has directed the state government not to take any coercive steps against Rita Negi, wife of rape accused BJP MLA Mahesh Negi till November 18, provided she cooperates with the investigation. November 18 is the next date of hearing in the case.
A woman had filed a case against Mahesh Negi and his wife Rita Negi in August, accusing the MLA of raping her and her wife of trying to hush-up the matter by allegedly offering her money.
The HC order said that Rita Negi had sought quashing of the FIR filed under Sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) against her in Dehradun by the woman. The order was issued on October 1, but its copy was made available on Wednesday.
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The court order said according to the FIR, the husband of the petitioner (MLA Mahesh Negi) sexually exploited the informant (woman) on multiple occasions.
“Resultantly, she delivered a child from the husband of the petitioner. When the informant claimed right for her child, it is the petitioner who tried to hush-up the matter by offering money to the informant and she is trying to pressurise the informant. The informant is being threatened. The FIR is quite in detail”, the order said citing the FIR.
{{/usCountry}}“Resultantly, she delivered a child from the husband of the petitioner. When the informant claimed right for her child, it is the petitioner who tried to hush-up the matter by offering money to the informant and she is trying to pressurise the informant. The informant is being threatened. The FIR is quite in detail”, the order said citing the FIR.
{{/usCountry}}Ayush Negi, counsel of the petitioner said the court has sought counter-affidavit from the state government on the matter within four weeks and posted the case for next hearing on November 18.
“Till the next date of listing no coercive steps shall be taken against the petitioner provided she cooperates with the investigation,” the order said.
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On August 14, Dehradun police filed an FIR on the complaint of BJP MLA Mahesh Singh Negi’s wife, accusing the woman of blackmailing her husband and trying to extort ₹5 crore from him. The accused woman, later on the same day, released a video on social media in which she accused the MLA’s wife, Rita Negi, of lodging a false complaint and alleged the MLA had been sexually harassing her for the last two years. She also claimed that the MLA had fathered her daughter. She also demanded a DNA test to prove her claims.
On August 16, the woman filed a counter-complaint against the MLA, accusing him of raping her on several occasions, fathering her child and his wife for trying to hush-up the matter by offering her money.