New Delhi, July 20 (IANS): Brutal beating of servants by former parliamentarian Dhananjay Singh's wife led to one of the maids' death, a witness told the court here on Monday.

Testifying as a prosecution witness in the maid torture case, 19-year-old Rampal told Additional Sessions Judge Amit Bansal during in-camera proceedings that Dhananjay Singh's wife Jagriti Singh severely beat the servants over even a small issue, which caused the death of one of the maids in November 2013, sources said.

Recording of Rampal's statement will continue on Tuesday.

The court was hearing a case against Bahujan Samaj Party leader Dhananjay Singh, who is facing trial on charges of destruction of evidence in the torture and murder of his maid. His wife Jagriti Singh is facing murder charges.

The court has framed charges under the Indian Penal Code sections dealing with murder, criminal intimidation against Jagriti.

In the charge sheet, police said, Jagriti used to mercilessly beat her three domestic helps and compelled them to work by holding them captive. One of the maids died in November 2013.

Dhananjay Singh is out on bail while Jagriti, a dental surgeon at a government hospital here, is lodged in the Tihar Jail. The former MP was charge sheeted on February 1 last year.