Ex-Akali minister Langah gets bail in rape case

Chandigarh, March 19

The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Monday granted bail to former Akali Dal minister Sucha Singh Langah in a rape case, days after the complainant turned hostile.

"Langah has been granted bail by the HC as the alleged victim turned hostile last month," the former minister's counsel JS Bedi said, adding that the minister had been told not to travel abroad without the court's permission. 

On February 28, the woman, who had accused the former Akali minister of raping her, retracted her statement in a Gurdaspur court.

In the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Prem Kumar at Gurdaspur, the complainant also denied being in a purported video clip that went viral on social media allegedly showing Langah in compromising position.

Langah was booked on September 28 last year after the woman approached police accusing the Akali leader of repeatedly raping her since 2009.

Police booked Langah under Sections 376 (rape), 384 (extortion), 420 (cheating) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC. He was expelled from the Akali Dal after the purported video emerged.

The complainant had also given to the police a pen drive containing a video that she claimed supported her accusations.

Langah, 61, a former MLA from the Dera Baba Nanak segment in the Gurdaspur district, was booked on September 29 last year—11 days ahead of the Gurdaspur Lok Sabha bypoll.

The FIR said the complainant accused Langah of raping her repeatedly since 2009 using his influence as a top leader of the SAD.

She had submitted a CD with a 20-minute video that alleged showed Langah establishing physical relations with her. She had also accused Langah of selling her properties using his political influence.

Langah surrendered at the Gurdaspur court on October 4, and charges were framed on February 14. PTI