Notwithstanding the flak it received for trying to withdraw cases against some prominent Muslim leaders from different political parties who had been charged with inciting communal passion in Muzaffaranagar district, the Uttar Pradesh government now wants to take back a case of rape against one of its ministers.

The reasons cited by the government for seeking withdrawal of the case against Minister for Stamp and Registration Manoj Paras were ‘public interest’ and ‘overburdened’ courts. State law department has written a letter to the Bijnore district magistrate in this regard.  Sources said that an application had already been moved in the district court seeking to withdraw the case. It also said that the charges against the MLA were found to be false and so such cases should be withdrawn.

Paras, an MLA from Nagina Assembly constituency, had been accused of raping a Dalit woman about six years back. The victim had been called by the legislator at his house on the pretext of helping her allot a ration shop. She was allegedly gang raped by three people including Paras. The minister is currently on a foreign tour as part of a delegation of the state government.

A case against Paras was registered only after the court had intervened in the matter. The local police had earlier refused to lodge a case against him.

The court had later directed to initiate attachment proceedings against Paras but the latter got a stay order against the lower court directive by the high court.

  “It is a mockery of the judicial system?”, state Congress spokesman Amarnath Agarwal said on Thursday.