07 February,2014 08:41 PM IST | | PTI
Congress Minister in Jammu and Kashmir government Shabir Khan resigned today, a day after he was booked by police on a complaint by a lady doctor, alleging that he made an attempt to molest her in his office, sparking demands for his arrest
Jammu: Jammu and Kashmir Health Minister Shabir Khan, booked in a molestation case, resigned from the Council of Ministers on Friday.
Khan, an MLA from Rajouri and Minister of State for Health, submitted his resignation to Chief Minister Omar Abdullah who forwarded it to Governor N N Vohra.
"I have received the resignation of the Minister of State for Health Shabir Khan and am forwarding the same to the Governor for acceptance," Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said on the micro-blogging site Twitter.
Amid mounting pressure from political parties demanding action against him, Congress spokesman in the state Ravinder Sharma said the minister was asked to step down by state PCC Chief Saif-ud-din Soz pending inquiry.
Opposition parties demanded his immediate resignation with some going a step further seeking his arrest.
Police registered a case against Khan yesterday after the doctor, wife of a separatist leader, alleged that the minister had called her to his office in Srinagar and attempted to molest her.
A case was registered under Sec 354 RPC (assault or criminal force on a woman with the intention to outrage her woman) and Section 509 RPC (word, gesture or act intended to outrage the modesty of a woman) against him.
"...this is a new low that this government has touched. In their own interest we believe that the government must take action in this matter and if a lady doctor is not safe with a minister then nobody is safe in this state," Opposition PDP spokesperson Nayeem Akhtar said.
"The letter of resignation of Minister of State Shabir Ahmad Khan recommended and forwarded by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has been accepted with immediate effect by Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra," an official spokesman said here.
