JAIPUR: The delayed arrest of an MLA’s son in a gangrape case is causing a major embarrassment to the ruling Congress in Rajasthan. Deepak Meena, the son of Rajgarh-Laxmangarh MLA Johri Lal Meena, was named as one of the accused in the gangrape of a minor girl six months ago but the police had left him free.
However, a POCSO court turned down the police investigation and issued 17 warrants against Deepak but he was not arrested until Monday when the Rajasthan High Court took a tough stand on the matter. The BJP is now targeting the Gehlot government for misuse of power.
The survivor registered a gangrape case against Deepak and his two friends in March 2022 in Mandawar police station area of Dausa district. The class 10 student alleged that the accused first gang-raped her on February 24, 2021. They then put pressure on her several times, blackmailed her using videos of the act and repeatedly gangraped her.
The case was registered against Deepak and his accomplices, Vivek Sharma and Netram Samleti. The survivor’s uncle had told the police that a young man named Vivek Sharma first befriended his niece on Facebook. Then after persuading her, she was called to a hotel where five accused, including Deepak, carried out the crime.
While all the other accused were arrested, Deepak’s name was removed from the probe. However, the POCSO court refused to accept the police version. Deepak’s bail petitions in the Rajasthan HC and
SC were turned down. Finally, the Rajasthan HC issued a notice to the Dausa SP to appear before the court on January 23. The BJP is condemning the Gehlot government for shielding the Congress MLA’s son.