Health minister’s driver sacked for raping woman

The state health department on Friday sacked driver of health minister Banna Gupta on charges of raping a woman and threatening her to make its video viral, according to an official notification

The state health department on Friday sacked driver of health minister Banna Gupta on charges of raping a woman and threatening her to make its video viral, according to an official notification.

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Moreover, a Jamshedpur court has ordered city police to lodge FIR in this connection and take action against the accused, identified as Pradyut Singh alias Munna, working on daily wage contract, the survivor’s lawyer said on Friday.

“The additional district judge’s court ordered Kadma police station officer in-charge (OC) to lodge FIR against health minister’s official driver Pradyut Singh alias Munna for rape, cheating and threatening the woman under Sections 376, 313, 406 and 420 of IPC and also under SC/ST Act on June 3. The order was also given to the court police. FIR ought to be filed within 24 hours in such cases. We are going to file a reminder petition on Monday,” Shiv Shankar Prasad, the survivor’s lawyer said.

However, police were yet to file an FIR action in this connection, as officials said they did not receive any such court order in this regard. “We have not received any court order or application from the victim as of now. We will act as per law once we get it,” said Kadma police station OC Manoj Thakur.

As per the survivor’s complaint, copy of which is with the HT, 55-year-old Pradyut Singh has been raping the woman since October 20, 2012 by promising marriage and also threatening to make obscene videos and photos viral, killing her daughters and abducting and selling her. “I filed complaints with Kadma police, SSP, DC and the health minister in September last year, but no action was taken, forcing me to file a complaint case in the court here on June 1. Now, I have also filed a petition with the Governor, CM, DGP, NHRC, NCW, DC, SSP and Home Minister, seeking security for me and my two daughters,” the 34-year-old woman said.

The woman has also alleged that Pradyut established physical relations with her at the health minister’s residence in Ranchi on multiple occasions and got CCTV cameras switched off each time.

She also claimed to have loaned ₹8 lakh to Pradyut, that he is yet to pay back, according to her complaint.