Uttarakhand HC asks state govt to file response on BJP MLA’s plea to quash rape FIR

The High Court also said that till the state government and the complainant file their replies within three weeks, there will be a stay on the arrest of MLA Mahesh Singh Negi.

Published on: Oct 19, 2020, 16:26:07 IST

Hindustan Times, Dehradun | By Neeraj Santoshi

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The Uttarakhand high court on Monday directed the state government to file its response within three weeks on a writ petition filed by BJP MLA Mahesh Singh Negi seeking quashing of an FIR filed against him on a complaint by a woman, accusing him of raping her on several occasions and fathering her child.

BJP MLA Mahesh Singh Negi has been accused of raping a woman and fathering her child. (ANI FILE PHOTO)

The court has also directed the complainant to file her reply on the petition within three weeks.

Ayush Negi, counsel of the BJP MLA Mahesh Singh Negi in his writ petition filed on Friday has sought quashing of the FIR against the lawmaker.

The court also stated that till the state government and the complainant file their replies within three weeks, there will be a stay on the arrest of the MLA, said Ayush Negi.

On August 13, Dehradun police had started a probe in the alleged extortion case against the woman after the MLA’s wife lodged a complaint accusing the woman of demanding ₹ ₹ 5 crore by threatening her to lodge a false rape complaint against her husband.

On the same day, the woman released a video on social media in which she accused MLA’s wife Rita Negi of lodging a false complaint and alleged that the MLA sexually harassed her for the last two years. She also claimed that she has an illegitimate daughter with the MLA. She also demanded a DNA test of her daughter and the MLA to prove her claims.

On August 16, the woman filed a counter-complaint against Negi, 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.

With the latest development, all three involved in the case, MLA, his wife and the complainant have filed pleas in the HC seeking quashing of FIRs against them.

On October 1, the HC directed the state government not to take any coercive steps against Rita Negi till November 18 provided she cooperates with the investigation. The next date of hearing in the case is November 18.

On September 4, the HC had directed the state government to file its response on the writ petition filed by the woman against whom Dehradun police filed an FIR on August 14 on the complaint of Rita Negi, accusing the woman of blackmailing her husband and trying to extort ₹5 crore. The court also directed that till the next hearing in the matter (November 18), there will be stay on the arrest of the woman.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Neeraj Santoshi
Neeraj Santoshi is the Chief of Bureau for Hindustan Times in Uttarakhand, where he leads the state reporting team while covering government, politics, environment, wildlife, Uttarakhand High Court, and issues shaping the Himalayan region. With more than two decades in journalism across conflict zones, he has covered politically sensitive regions and environmentally fragile landscapes, and focused on stories that combine public interest with in-depth storytelling. An alumnus of Pune University with a Master’s in Communication Studies, he has reported extensively from Jammu & Kashmir (2003-2010), Madhya Pradesh (2010 to 2018 ) and Uttarakhand (Since 2018), covering subjects ranging from insurgency, elections and governance to wildlife conservation, mining, climate change, agriculture, human rights and social justice. He has covered politics and legislative assemblies of both Jammu & Kashmir and Madhya Pradesh over more than a decade. Before taking over as Chief of Bureau in Uttarakhand, he served as Special Correspondent with Hindustan Times in Madhya Pradesh and earlier reported for both Hindustan Times and The Indian Express in Jammu & Kashmir, where he covered state politics, environment and insurgency-related developments. Over the years, his stories have focused on environmental degradation, wildlife, illegal mining, governance and the changing social fabric of Himalayan states and Central India. He is particularly interested in long-form explanatory journalism, and stories that explore the intersection of ecology, conservation, governance and society. Outside the newsroom, Neeraj enjoys reading widely on neuroscience, consciousness studies, Artificial Intelligence and quantum physics, with a special interest in Kashmiri Tantric Shaivist traditions. He is also passionate about wildlife, mountaineering and the Himalayas, interests that continue to inform his reporting and deepen his understanding of the region he covers.Read More

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