Gayatri Prajapati rape case: SC says order directing UP Police to file FIR is being given 'political colour'

Pic courtsey: ANI

New Delhi: Refusing to stay the arrest of absconding rape accused Uttar Pradesh minister, the Supreme Court on Monday said that its order is being a political colour and called it 'unfortunate'. 

"Our order directing the Uttar Pradesh Police to lodge an FIR against Gayatri Prajapati is being given a 'political colour' and it is unfortunate," the Supreme Court bench said today. 

It is to be noted that the FIR against the minister was registered after the Supreme Court ordered the Uttar Pradesh Police to do so.

The rape-accused minister had moved the apex court today for recall of its order for lodging an FIR against him in cases of alleged gang-rape and attempt to rape a woman and her minor daughter.

The bench hearing the minister's petition said that the law should take its course if there is a non-bailable warrant against him. The court also asked Prajapati to approach the concerned court.

Prajapati is facing imminent arrest following an FIR lodged against him and six of his accomplices on the apex court order at Gautampalli police station in the capital on February 18 under various sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.

Prajapati, whose involvement in these cases has been used by political opponents in electioneering in the poll-bound state, has cried foul alleging that it was a "politically motivated" case as the complainant was affiliated to the BJP.

Seeking a stay on his impending arrest, he claimed that the Uttar Pradesh government had not put the actual facts in the right perspective before the apex court and false allegations were levelled against him.

On February 17, the Supreme Court had directed the Uttar Pradesh Police to lodge an FIR against Prajapati and asked it to inquire and file an action taken the report regarding the incidents in eight weeks in a sealed cover.

The apex court's direction had come on a PIL filed by a woman who had alleged repeated gang-rape by Prajapati and others and sought the court's direction for lodging of an FIR.

The petitioner's counsel had argued that the UP Police had not taken any action on the complaint which was given to the Director General of the state police.

Counsel appearing for the state had said that since it was currently election time in the state, the petition has been filed and the government has said in the affidavit that the alleged incident cannot be ascertained and there was a delay in filing of the complaint.

Narrating the incident, the petitioner's counsel had said the alleged incident had first taken place in October 2014 and continued until July 2016 and when the accused tried to molest the minor daughter of the petitioner, she decided to lodge a
complaint.

Prajapati was sacked by CM Akhilesh Yadav from his cabinet last year but was later reinstated in the council of ministers.