Court to record evidence against Raj Babbar in criminal case

A Delhi court would record evidence on October 16 against Bollywood actor and Congress MP Raj Babbar in the case of pelting stones at policemen during a protest march by his former party Samajwadi Party near the Prime Minister's residence here in 2000.

A Delhi court would record evidence on October 16 against Bollywood actor and Congress MP Raj Babbar in the case of pelting stones at policemen during a protest march by his former party Samajwadi Party near the Prime Minister's residence here in 2000.

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"The application seeking exemption from personal appearance is allowed. Put up the matter for recording the prosecution evidence on October 16," Metropolitan Magistrate Pritam Singh said recently while adjourning the matter.

The court had earlier framed charges against Babbar under IPC for "forming an unlawful assembly and restraining complainant SI Mahender Singh and other policemen from performing their duties by throwing stones at them."

Babbar, the then SP Lok Sabha MP from Agra, expelled SP leader Amar Singh and MP Sarvraj Singh along with over 800 party activists had tried to stage a rally outside the residence of the Prime Minister against water crisis in his constituency, the chargesheet said.

"I plead not guilty and claim trial," Babbar, now a Congress MP, had told and wished to contest the case.

The court had also framed similar charges against Sarvraj Singh, who also preferred to contest the case.

Amar Singh was discharged from the case on February 19, 2004, by the Delhi High Court which had set aside the lower court's order of taking cognisance of the offence.

The leaders have been charged under IPC dealing with rioting, hurt, assaulting policemen to deter them from performing duty.