New Delhi, February 22: A DELHI court has framed criminal charges against actor and Congress MP Raj Babbar for pelting stones at policemen during a protest march of his former party, the SP, in Delhi in 2000.
“… you along with co- accused on May 9, 2000… in furtherance of your common intention formed an unlawful assembly and restrained complainant SI Mahender Singh and other policemen from performing their duties by throwing stones,” the court said.
Babbar, the then 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 Prime Minister’s residence against a water crisis in his constituency, the chargesheet said.
“ I plead not guilty and claim trial,” the actor told metropolitan magistrate Pritam Singh, who fixed the matter for recording of statements of prosecution witnesses for July 1.
The court 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 provisions dealing with rioting, hurt and assaulting policemen to deter them from performing their duty.
The chargesheet said that though the permission to hold the rally was not granted, the accused leaders and others first assembled at South Avenue and then proceeded towards Teen Murti Road. On being objected to, Babbar threw a pitcher and stones at policemen.
–PTI