A senior Samajwadi Party (SP) leader and the party nominee for the next Lok Sabha elections caused a huge embarrassment for his organisation after he was arrested on the charge of molesting a girl on a speeding train in an inebriated state on Sunday night.

SP leader Chandra Nath Singh, who had been rushed to hospital after he complained of chest pain following his arrest at Shahjahanpur railway station, about 175 km from here, was released on Monday after the victim “withdrew” her complaint reportedly under “pressure” from the police.

The issue rocked the state legislature where opposition Bahujan Samaj Party members staged a walk-out in the Legislative Council and demanded stern action against Singh, who was also a former Lok Sabha member from the Machlishahar constituency in Jaunpur district. The SP has given him a ticket for the forthcoming parliamentary elections.

According to reports, Singh, who was travelling to Delhi on the Padmavat Express train, allegedly molested a young girl, who was also travelling on the same coach. The girl, who was travelling with her family, approached security personnel and lodged a complaint against the former MP. She alleged that Singh was “drunk.” The other passengers also supported the victim's contention.

Singh was taken into custody when the train reached Shahjahanpur railway station. He was, however, taken to hospital after he complained of chest pain. A few hours later, in a dramatic turn of event, the former MP was released after the girl “withdrew” her complaint. It was alleged that the police and the SP leader exerted pressure on her to withdraw the complaint. The victim claimed that she decided to withdraw the complaint after the former MP tendered an apology.