Hyderabad, Feb 28 (IANS): Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Monday suspended Nirmal Municipal Council Vice Chairman Sajid Khan from party after police booked him for allegedly raping a minor girl.
Minister Indrakaran Reddy announced Khan's suspension.
The minister, who is from Nirmal district, slammed the opposition parties for making baseless allegations against him and the party.
He said the party always acted whenever any of its member was booked for any serious offence, and that the law will take its own course in the case.
Meanwhile, tension prevailed at Nirmal Municipal Council office as BJP workers staged a protest demanding stringent punishment to the accused.
The protestors barged into the Municipal Commissioner's chamber and raised slogans against the ruling party. They demanded justice to the victim's family.
Municipal Council Chairman Eshwaraiah had an argument with BJP leaders. The protestors later submitted a memorandum demanding that Sajid Khan be removed from the post of Vice Chairman.
Khan went into hiding, after police booked a case against him under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).
Police have constituted four teams to apprehend him, and launched a search in Nirmal, Adilabad, Bhainsa and other towns. They expressed confidence that the accused would be arrested soon.
Khan allegedly raped the 15-year-old girl in Hyderabad last month. The victim told police that the accused took her there along with the help of a woman, who is the owner of the house where the girl's family resides.
The victim, a Class 8 student, had approached a child helpline and through them lodged a complaint against the Municipal Vice Chairman.
DSP Upendra Reddy said after medical examination of the victim and preliminary investigation, a case under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code and relevant sections of POCSO was booked against him. The house owner and car driver were also booked in the case.
The victim told the police that she was taken to Hyderabad on the pretext of a function and the accused perpetrated the crime at a hotel.
The girl later revealed this to her parents, who approached the child helpline and subsequently the police to lodge a complaint.