Rape accused BSP MP surrenders in court

Almost two months after a case of rape was registered against him, BSP Lok Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh Atul Rai, who had been absconding since registration of the case, surrendered before a court in Varanasi on Saturday.

Rai, a Lok Sabha member from Ghosi constituency in the state, was sent to 14-days judicial custody by the court. The court fixed July five as the next date of hearing of the case.

Although the cops had prior information about his possible surrender, they failed to arrest him.

Police had earlier attached his properties.

A former classmate of Rai had lodged a complaint with the police last month that Rai had raped her in his flat in Varanasi and had also made a video. The victim had also alleged that Rai had threatened her of dire consequences if she did not withdraw her complaint.

A local court in Varanasi had issued a non-bailable warrant (NBW) against the MP a few days back.

Rai went missing after the Allahabad High court and later supreme court rejected his anticipatory bail applications.

Rai has refuted the charges and claimed that the victim tried to ''blackmail'' him. Rai's brother Pawan Rai has also defended him. BSP supremo Mayawati has termed the allegations as a ''conspiracy'' hatched by the BJP.

Though the BSP leader could not campaign in his Lok Sabha constituency of Ghosi in Uttar Pradesh, he managed to win the poll by over 1.22 lakh votes defeating his nearest BJP rival.