Hours after the Supreme Court rejected to put stay on the arrest of absconding rape accused Uttar Pradesh Minister Gayatri Prajapati, his close aide and co-accused in the rape case, Chandrapal has surrendered before the Lucknow police on March 6. Earlier today, Prajapati, who is on run since February 27, approached the apex court through his lawyer seeking a stay on his arrest.
Further, the court directed that if Prajapati is arrested, he can approach a concerned court for seeking bail. However, the state police have to decide whether he is to be arrested or not.
Earlier, Ram Naik, the Governor of the state, had enquired of UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav stating why wasn’t Gayatri Prajapati, who is currently facing rape charges, stripped off from the post of state Transport Minister.
Head constable and close aide of rape accused Uttar Pradesh Minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, Chandrapal surrendered before Lucknow police. pic.twitter.com/a1CUe3cr9a
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) March 6, 2017
The UP governor wrote to Akhilesh Yadav saying that Prajapati still being a minister raises some serious questions. He further told Yadav that with Prajapati refusing to oblige his orders, the Cabinet was being portrayed in a bad light while asking the Chief Minister to explain his reason for still having Prajapati in the cabinet.
Meanwhile, the police are currently making efforts to nab Prajapati who is absconding. 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 an 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.
