LUCKNOW: A BJP leader, Akhilesh Pratap Singh, is among eight of the 10 accused arrested on Monday for the alleged gangrape of a minor girl in Kasganj district of western UP on April 10.
Singh is believed to be closely associated with Kasganj MLAs Devendra Rajput and Hariom Verma. Sources said he has been associated with the ruling party in UP for the last 15 years and has often been spotted with BJP MLAs and even former Kasganj MP Rajveer Singh, alias Rajju Bhaiyya.
The accused BJP leader, also known by an alias, Gabbar, has a criminal history with cases of illegal mining registered against him. His name also figures in a case of attacking the former MLA of Bulandshahr, Anita Lodhi. He currently holds no party post. The district police arrested the accused following raids at different locations across the Kasganj district on Sunday night.
The minor girl, aged 17, was gangraped near a canal in her village on the evening of April 10. She said in a police complaint that she and her fiancé were returning after an errand for a ration card and stopped to have food under a tree near the canal.
The accused passed by at the same time, and seeing both sitting together, they surrounded the couple and assaulted the youth. They dragged both into different bushes and gangraped the victim. The victim said three persons raped her in front of her fiancé.
Before leaving, the accused issued life threats to them and even robbed them of Rs 5,000 and snatched the girl’s chain and ear studs.
Eight of the accused have been arrested, and two are still at large. Kasganj Superintendent of Police Ankita Sharma assured strict action against the arrested accused. She said that a hunt was on for the remaining two, and they would also be nabbed soon.
Fiancé assaulted by the accused
The minor girl, aged 17, was gangraped near a canal in her village on the evening of April 10. She said in a police complaint that she and her fiancé were returning after an errand for a ration card and stopped to have food under a tree near the canal. The accused saw both of them sitting together. They surrounded the couple and assaulted the youth. Three persons raped the girl in front of her fiancé.