Bereft former AAP minister Sandeep Kumar finds support from wife

NEW DELHI: Former Delhi minister Sandeep Kumar may have been sacked from his ministerial post, deserted by his party members and arrested on rape charges after a

NEW DELHI: Former Delhi minister Sandeep Kumar may have been sacked from his ministerial post, deserted by his party members and arrested on rape charges after a CD of him with two women in a compromising position surfaced last week, but he has found support from his wife.

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Ritu Kumar, who had come to the Sultanpuri police station to meet her jailed husband, told reporters, “I am with my husband. The truth will come out in the court. The allegations are false. We will support him.”

Without naming anyone, she said the CD scandal was a “conspiracy” against Kumar.

“No matter what happens, I know my husband is innocent. I will continue to support him till the end,” she said refusing to comment on Aam Aadmi Party’s decision to sack him.

Last week, chief minister Arvind Kejriwal sacked Kumar after a nine-minute video CD featuring the former women and child development minister with two women was leaked to news channels.

One of the women seen on tape approached the police on Saturday alleging that 11 months ago she had gone to meet the former minister for his help to get a ration card.

She alleged that Kumar gave her a spiked drink and raped her. She claimed to have been dizzy and unaware that Kumar was allegedly filming the act. She said she met Kumar only once.

On Saturday night, Kumar was arrested on the woman’s complaint. He was booked under sections of the Prevention of Corruption Act, IT Act, rape and poisoning.

On Sunday evening, he was produced before a duty magistrate at the Rohini court. Police sought 14-day custody of him, but were given a day’s custody.

An investigating officer said the former minister hasn’t accused anyone so far of breaking into his house and stealing the video tape.

An officer said it appeared that MLA Kumar shot the video and shared it with one of his friends, Praveen, who may have leaked it. The officer said Kumar gave misleading statements about the women on the tape.

“We have got a day’s police custody. This morning, we could not quiz him and he had to be taken for medical examination. He did not say anything about the tape being stolen from his laptop or cell phone. His statement will be recorded tonight,” said an investigating officer.

Meanwhile, a police team visited the MLA’s house in Sultanpuri F-Block.

They spent 15-20 minutes there. Sources said the tape was recorded in one of the rooms. Police could not open a locked room as Kumar’s wife was at the local police station.

“We are trying to find Praveen. A case under the IT Act could be registered against him too,” said an officer.