Sacked AAP minister Sandeep Kumar surrenders before police, booked for rape

New Delhi: Sacked Aam Admi Party (AAP) minister Sandeep Kumar, who has been accused of sexual assault, surrendered at the office of the Deputy Commissioner of Police here on Saturday evening.

Kumar, who was the former Social Welfare and Women and Child Development Minister, was seen in a compromising position with a woman in a video.

The woman seen in the video had lodged a complaint against Kumar, alleging that she had been given a drink laced with drugs by the minister.

She alleged that she had gone to meet him to take his help for a ration card.

The woman filed the complaint against Kumar at Sultanpuri police station alleging that she was raped by him after being offered a spiked drink.

After she lost consciousness, she was allegedly raped. The woman claimed she did not know a CD had been made, PTI quoted official sources as saying.

The victim also alleged in her complaint that the CD was made after Kumar became a minister.

Meanwhile, the police have booked Kumar under rape charges while the woman has been taken for a medical examination for investigation.

Sanjay Singh, Joint Commissioner (Northern range), said that the victim's statement was being recorded.

A case under IPC section 376 (rape) has been registered, he said.

Earlier in the day, AAP had suspended Kumar from primary membership of the party, which came four days after AAP removed the 36-year-old minister.

AAP on Wednesday night sacked Kumar after a video emerged showing him in an "objectionable position" with a woman.

However Kumar defended himself, saying he had resigned on his own and that he had been targeted because he was a Dalit.

"Someone is saying the video is two months old and others are saying it is three months old. There is no authentication. Dalits have been exploited always. I belong to a poor family, so I know the facts are distorted. I have been framed because I am a Dalit," TOI quoted him as saying.

On Saturday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal recommended "exemplary" punishment to Kumar.

His remarks came after reports that the woman being shown in the video has lodged a complaint against Kumar.

"If the woman's allegations are correct, this is very serious. Strongest exemplary punishment should be given to Sandeep," Kejriwal tweeted.