Supreme Court refuses to stay arrest of Gayatri Prajapati

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to stay the arrest of Gayatri Prajapati -- a minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government -- for allegedly raping and blackmailing a woman.

"It's very unfortunate that its order for registration of FIR against Gayatri Prajapati is being given a political colour," said a bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice R.K. Agrawal while refusing to allow his plea to recall the order on lodging of FIR in the sexual assault case.

Prajapati filed the plea after the apex court ordered Uttar Pradesh Police to register an FIR against the minister.

Acting on the SC order, the police last Tuesday searched the official residence of cabinet Minister Prajapati, facing probe for his alleged role in a rape case.

Police said that non-bailable warrants have also been issued against six other accused in connection with the same case.

Raids were conducted at various places, including a factory manufacturing incense sticks in Kanpur, to try and locate the minister.

Prajapati is contesting the ongoing state assembly elections on the Samajwadi Party (SP) ticket.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) leaders have been attacking Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on the issue and alleging that the free run of the minister was an example of 'jungle raj' in the state.

49-year-old Gayatri 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.Gautampalli police station in the capital on February 18 under various sections of the IPC and POCSO Act.

The alleged offence was first committed in October 2014 and was repeated till July 2016, but when the accused tried to molest the minor daughter of the victim, she wrote to the state DGP in October 2016, requesting the officer to take action.

But when her complaint to the DGP went unheeded, she moved the apex court for justice.

Prajapati had been sacked by the chief minister in 2016 during the family feud with his father Mulayam Singh Yadav and uncle Shivpal Yadav but was later reinstated in the council of ministers.

Prajapati is also accused of patronising the illegal mining mafia when he was the mining minister and a probe has been ordered by the Allahabad High Court in this matter.