JOIN USIn the midst of the Assembly elections, the Samajwadi Party on Friday suffered a setback, as the Supreme Court ordered the registration of an FIR against its senior leader and Minister Gayatri Prajapati in a gang-rape case.
A bench of Justices A K Sikri and R K Agrawal directed the police to submit a report within eight weeks in a sealed cover after conducting the inquiry.
The court passed its order acting on a public interest litigation filed by a woman who alleged repeated gang-rape by Prajapati and others.
She contended that no action has been taken in the matter despite a complaint to the director general of police in October. Advocate Mehmood Pracha, appearing for the petitioner, submitted that the incident had taken place first in October 2014 and continued till July 2016. The petitioner decided to lodge a complaint when the accused tried to molest her minor daughter.
A counsel, appearing for the state government, countered the charge, claiming that the petition was filed coinciding with the elections in the state. He said the state government has said in its affidavit that the incident cannot be ascertained and that there was a delay in the filing of the complaint.
The court, however, directed the police to investigate the matter and file a report.
‘Conspiracy by BJP’
Prajapati, speaking to a news agency, said, “I respect the order by the Supreme Court, but this case is a BJP conspiracy against me. The truth will be out soon.” The controversial leader from Amethi was sacked by Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, but was later reinstated at the instance of party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav.