Denied permission to meet law student, SP workers protest

BAREILLY: A delegation of the Samajwadi Party’s women’s wing staged a sit-in outside the Shahjahanpur district jail on Friday after they were not allowed to meet the jailed law student who has accused former Union minister and BJP leader Chinmayanand of raping her.

“I am surprised why the jail administration denied us permission when yesterday they allowed CPI (M) leaders Brinda Karat and Subhashini Ali to meet the law student,” said Richa Singh, former students’ union president of Allahabad University, who led the delegation.

Singh said the jail authorities were informed about the delegation’s visit by the local unit of the party.

“Our workers reached the jail at 9.30 am to inform authorities about our visit and complete formalities required for permission. But I was taken aback when they denied us permission without citing any reason,” said Singh who arrived at 11.30 am to meet the law student.

The SP workers then staged a demonstration outside the jail to register their protest.

After this, Singh, who was accompanied by other party leaders went to meet the parents of the woman at their home. “They (parents) told me that the SIT team, led by a woman IPS officer, came to their house early in the morning and literally dragged their daughter out of bed when she was sleeping. They did not even allow her to change her dress and took her away without telling them where she was being taken,” said Singh.