Rape FIR against Samachar Plus CEO, he says being framed in false case

The woman has recorded her statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC, and has substantiated her allegations, police said. The accused, Umesh Kumar Singh, is yet to be arrested

The Delhi Police has registered an FIR against the CEO of Samachar Plus news channel, after a woman who worked with him alleged he had raped her on the pretext of marriage, police said. An FIR was registered on Friday evening at Tughlaq Road police station. The woman has recorded her statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the CrPC, and has substantiated her allegations, police said. The accused, Umesh Kumar Singh, is yet to be arrested.

Additional Commissioner of Police (New Delhi district) B K Singh said they had received a complaint on February 13, and that the woman underwent a medical examination on February 16. “The woman claimed that while working at a gym in 2016, she came in contact with the accused. She said he offered her a job in a senior position and, after several meetings, she started working with the channel.”

The woman alleged that on June 6 last year, Umesh called her to his residence and engaged in a physical relationship with her on the pretext of marriage. She claimed this happened on several other occasions as well.

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“On August 26 last year, she was asked to come to a five-star hotel, where he allegedly raped her on the pretext of marriage. He later left the room to meet someone, leaving his phone behind. The woman found photos of the accused’s family on his phone, and confronted him,” Additional CP Singh said.

“She claimed in her complaint that she was threatened by the accused. She has also submitted WhatsApp conversations with him,” Singh said. “After examining the allegations, we have lodged an FIR under IPC sections 376 (rape) and 506 (threatening) at Tughlaq Road police station. Her statement was recorded before a magistrate on Saturday. We have contacted hotel authorities and they have confirmed that a room was booked under his name,” Singh said.

When contacted, Umesh Kumar Singh said he was being “framed in a false case”. “I met the woman in a gym when my gym instructor requested me to help her in a legal case. She asked for help, and I called some senior officials to help her… She also asked me to help her financially, but I have never done so,” he said, adding that she should provide documents to prove she worked with the channel.

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