Court frames charges against Gayatri Prajapati, 6 others

Lucknow: A special court on Tuesday framed charges against former Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati and other six co-accused in a gang-rape case.

The court of judge Uma Shanker Sharma charged Gayatri and co-accused Vikas, Ashish, Ashok Amrendra, Chandrapal and Rupeshwar under various IPC sections including 376 (D) (gang rape) and 354A(1) (sexual harassment).

Gayatri, Vikas, Ashish and Ashok have also been charged under the POSCO Act.

The court fixed August 1 for the recording of evidence of prosecution evidence.

All the accused are in jail and they were produced in the court under tight security.

The judge earlier rejected the discharge application of Vikas holding that there was prima facie evidence against him to make him face trial.

The investigating officer had filed an 824-page charge sheet on June 3 citing 24 witnesses.

The victim had lodged a FIR with Gautampalli police on February 18, after the Supreme Court's direction to the police to register it.

The woman, a resident of Chitrakoot, had alleged that the accused had raped her many times and when attempted to rape her daughter.