Police raids gang-rape accused UP minister Gayatri Prajapati's residence

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh police on Tuesday raided Samajwadi Party minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati's residence.

The raid was headed by CO Amit Singh. Prajapati, however, was not present at his residence during the raid.

"It is a part of investigation and we will arrest him as soon as we are able to trace him," said police.

A case was filed against the Samajwadi Party tainted minister and six others, under the relevant sections of gangrape and POCSO Act after the Supreme Court order.

FIRs against all the accused had been lodged at Gautampalli Kotwali under sections 376D (gangrape), 376, 511,504, 506 and the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

Those named in the FIR included: Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, Ashok Tiwari, Pintoo Singh, Vikas Verma, Chandrapal, Rupesh and Ashish Shukla.

The decision against the UP transport minister came on a plea filed by a woman of Chitrakoot district of the state, accusing Prajapati of raping her several times in last two years.

The woman had stated that the UP minister had promised to appoint her on senior post in the party. The woman had also alleged that Prajapati sexually harassed her daughter.

According to the 35-year-old victim, the FIR was not lodged by the UP police against the minister, despite her several attempts.

The Apex Court had also asked the Uttar Pradesh government to file a report of the entire matter within eight weeks.

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