Meerut lecturer Kavita Rani's murder following allegations of sleaze and blackmail claimed yet another political victim when Uttar Pradesh Minister of State for Food Processing and Rashtriya Lok Dal leader Babulal resigned from the ministry on Tuesday.

Babulal, whose name was among the several allegedly mentioned by Kavita in her letters before her disappearance in October, sent his resignation to RLD chief Ajit Singh, who forwarded it to Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav with his recommendation to accept it.

RLD spokesman Anil Dubey told PTI in Lucknow on Tuesday that although Babulal's involvement in the case had been denied by the police, he has resigned on moral grounds.

Babulal allegedly knew Kavita and had reportedly spoken to her on several occasions. RLD, however, alleged that an attempt was being made to shield the Samajwadi Party Minister for Basic Education Kiranpal Singh, whose name had also figured in the case.

"Now that our leaders have resigned, it should be followed by the SP minister," RLD sources demanded. 

The main accused in the case Ravindra Pradhan had claimed to have made a sleaze tape of RLD leader Meerajuddin Ahmed in the bedroom of his house in Lucknow and collected Rs 35 lakh as hush money from him.

He said he murdered Kavita on October 24 with the help of an associate Yogesh as she had been making demands for a bigger share of the money.

He claimed that Kavita had "intimate relations" with several personalities, but did not name them.

Former UP irrigation minister and RLD leader Meerajuddin Ahmed had resigned from the Rashtriya Lok Dal on Monday night claiming it was a political conspiracy against him, but would keep out of politics till his name was cleared.