New Delhi, Feb 21 (IANS) Pelting stones at a policeman during a protest march proved costly for Bollywood actor and Congress MP Raj Babbar as a city court framed charges against him and others for the incident here.

'I charge you that you along with co-accused on May 9, 2000... in furtherance of your common intention formed an unlawful assembly and restrained complainant Sub-Inspector (SI) Mahender Singh and other policemen from performing their duties by throwing stones,' the court said in an order passed earlier this week.

Babbar, the then Lok Sabha MP from Agra, expelled Samajwadi Party leader Amar Singh and MP Sarvraj Singh, along with over 800 activists, tried to stage a rally outside the residence of the then prime minister against water crisis in his constituency, the chargesheet said.

Babbar, however, pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

The court will now start recording the statements of prosecution witnesses on July 1.

Amar Singh was discharged from the case in 2004 by Delhi High Court which had set aside the lower court's order of taking cognisance of the offence.

The leaders have been charged under provisions of the Indian Penal Code dealing with rioting, causing hurt, and assaulting policemen to deter them from performing duty.