Rape accused Punjab ex-minister surrenders, sent to police remand

Chandigarh, Oct 4: Former Shiromani Akali Dal Minister Sucha Singh Langah, who is facing rape and cheating charges, was on Wednesday sent to police remand till October 9.

This came after he surrendered before the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Mohit Bansal in Gurdaspur town in north Punjab.

Langah, who had remained underground since the registration of the case and failed to surrender earlier was booked under Sections 376 (rape), 384 (extortion), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code at the Gurdaspur City police station.

The case was registered following a complaint by a woman constable of the Punjab Police who alleged that she had been sexually exploited and raped by Langah since 2009 under the threat of death.

She also said that she was a classmate of Langah's daughter in college.

Police had conducted raids at various places in Punjab in order to arrest him.

Langah had on Tuesday moved the Punjab and Haryana High Court here, seeking transit anticipatory bail. The High Court on Wednesday deferred the hearing of the petition till October 6.

Langah had earlier on Monday presented himself before the Duty Magistrate at the district court in Chandigarh. The court had then refused his plea and asked him to surrender in Gurdaspur town where the case against him was registered.