Chaini Parwani –
Published On: November 11, 2021 at 10:50 IST
A Special Court in Lucknow on Wednesday Convicted former Uttar Pradesh Minister Gayatri Prajapati and two others in the Chitrakoot Gang Rape Case in 2017.
Special Judge Pawan Kumar Rai (directing over an MP/MLA Court) found the three, including Gayatri, guilty under Section 376D of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 5/6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
Further, the Court also pronounced two others namely Ashish Shukla and Ashok Tiwari guilty.
The Court alleged that no Evidence was found against Minister’s gunner Chanderpal, Public Relations Officer Rupeshwar alias Rupesh, Vikas Verma – son of a Senior Provincial Civil Service (PCS) Officer and Amarendra Singh alias Pintu, hence, they were Acquitted.
In the year 2017, a Chitrakoot-based woman was denied registering a First Information Report (FIR) against Prajapati and his six aides observing that they had Gang-Raped her and attempted to outrage the modesty of her Minor daughter when he was a Minister in Uttar Pradesh.
Significantly, the woman filed a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) in the Supreme Court, and consequently, the Court had directed the UP Police to lodge a First Information Report (FIR) against him in association with cases of alleged Gang Rape and Sexual Harassment.
However, the woman, who Accused the Former Minister for Rape and filed the PIL, had later withdrew her statement by providing an application in the Special MP MLA Court in Prayagraj in 2019.
The woman reversed her statement in Court stating that the Former Minister did not Rape her but two of his aides did.
The Order regarding the Quantum of Sentence would be pronounced on November 12.
Also Read: Supreme Court Stays Gayatri Prajapati Interim Bail