Rape accused ex-up minister Prajapati finally arrested

After being on the run for nearly a month, rape-accused UP minister Gayatri Prajapati was on Wednesday arrested from the city by Lucknow Police.

Six others accused in the case have already been nabbed.

“Prajapati was arrested from Aashiyana area of the city early this morning,” Senior Superintendent of Police, Lucknow, Manzil Saini said.

The 49-year-old SP leader was produced before a POCSO court which remanded him to 14-day judicial custody, the SSP said.

Prajapati was booked on a Supreme Court directive and an FIR was lodged on February 17 against the minister and six others for allegedly gang-raping a woman and alleged attempt to rape her minor daughter.

The apex court had asked the UP Police to submit an action taken report regarding the incidents in eight weeks.

As the tainted minister was being taken into custody in a luxury vehicle, questions were raised by Samajwadi Party's rivals as to how he could get the facility.

Prajapati told reporters that he was going to surrender but was arrested. “I am innocent. This is a conspiracy to malign me,” he said and added that he was prepared for a NARCO test to bring out the truth.he also demanded a NARCO test on the minor victim.

DGP Javeed Ahmed said, “Gayatri Prajapati was arrested in Lucknow. He was constantly moving from one place to another all this while. This made the job of police more challenging.”

He said there was no political pressure on the police to allow the minister go scot free.