BSP MP Dhananjay Singh’s official accommodation — 175, South Avenue — was a virtual concentration camp for domestic helps — Rakhi, Meena and another minor boy. Investigation has revealed that the MP was not only aware of the inhuman treatment meted out to the helps by his wife, but had also beaten them up on two occasions when they complained about his wife to him.
The Delhi Police may also slap Section 120 B of the Indian Penal Code for conspiracy against the MP and his wife, who are in five-day police remand. "The alleged offences are of very serious nature. In my opinion, for the recovery of the case property and in aid of the investigation, five days police custody is desirable. Accordingly, both the accused are remanded to police custody till November 11," Metropolitan Magistrate Dheeraj Mittal said. Meanwhile, not able to trace the placement agency through which the helps were employed, police are investigating if the agency was a fake one.
According to the 17-year-old help's statement in the FIR (the copy of which is with The Pioneer), the MP's wife, Jagriti Singh, a dentist with the RMl Hospital, had tortured the three helps brutally and restricted them from leaving the flat. "A number of times, we had informed Dhananjay Sahab that Bhabhi ji (Jagriti) had a short temper and used to physically assault and abuse us, but instead of stopping her, he told us that if you commit mistakes, you will be punished so try not to repeat the same. Sahab also said that every servant has been thrashed by her and we just need to do our jobs properly," he alleged in his statement, adding that when they constantly complained to him about the physical assaults meted out by Jagriti, the MP as well hit him in his private parts.
"He thrashed us with his shoes at least on two occasions," the help said. The victim told the police that on November 1, Jagriti beat Rakhi so hard that the stick being used broke. She then called husband, Dhananjay Singh, who was in Jaunpur. "She informed him that she had beaten up Rakhi for not cleaning the room and she will kill her as she was regularly making such mistakes. She was beaten up mercilessly for three days with iron rods and antelope antlers. Jagriti had asked Rakhi to drink electrol water, but when she denied to consume it Jagriti forced the spoon inside her mouth in such a way that she strated bleeding. She was even branded with a hot iron and she succumbed to her injuries on Monday," he stated in the FIR.
Investigators said that they are planning to add the charges of criminal conspiracy against the MP and his wife as the accused Jagriti had planned the murder and her husband was also aware of it. According to the victim, Jagriti did not let Rakhi contact her family and also forcibly took her two cell phones. Rakhi was asked to call her family members from Jagriti's cell phone and whenever Jagriti was not satisfied with her work, she threw the food in the dustbin and then asked her to pick the same and eat.
"At one instance last February, Rakhi argued with Jagriti and this enraged her so much that she pulled her hair, kicked her in the abdomen and made her stand outside for hours without food and water," he added. On April 1 Jagriti's friend, Reenu, had come for lunch and Rakhi could not cook on time. Infuriated with this, she first beat her with a broom and then chopped off her hair using a blade," he claimed, adding that few months ago, she had also assaulted him for not being able to wake her up on time.