The police on March 14 detained two sons of Uttar Pradesh Transport Minister for giving their father shelter while the police were looking for him on rape charges. The police have also detained three other persons in connection with the case.
The Supreme Court had recently refused to put stay the arrest of absconding minister. The Governor had also pulled up outgoing Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav and asked him to explain why an absconding minister facing rape charges is still a minister in his cabinet.
Last week, Gayatri Prajapati’s close aide and co-accused in the rape case, Chandrapal had surrendered before the Lucknow police.
Meanwhile, the police are currently making efforts to nab Prajapati who is absconding. The Supreme Court on February 17 ordered registration of FIR against the minister in a gang rape and sexual harassment case. The victim had approached the apex court after the UP police allegedly refused to register a FIR against the SP leader.
According to the 35-year-old victim, Prajapati raped her three years ago and took her obscene photos on the pretext of giving her a position in Samajwadi Party. He also threatened to release the photos in public if she filed a complaint against him. She also alleged that the minister also sexually assaulted her daughter.
Reacting to the Supreme Court order, Prajapati exclaimed that this FIR was a conspiracy deployed by the BJP to show him in a bad light. “I respect orders of the Supreme Court, but this case is a BJP conspiracy against me. Truth will be out soon,” Prajapati had said.
