‘Threatened’ Prajapati goes missing

LUCKNOW: In a paradox of sorts, the security personnel of tainted Samajwadi Party (SP) minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati have become a ‘threat’ for him.

The well-guarded minister, who has Y-grade security, apparently suspects that his own guards may reveal his location and has given them a slip while being on the run since Monday evening fearing his arrest in an alleged gang rape case.

Prajapati, a sitting SP MLA from Amethi, was last spotted along with his associates during polling on Monday. Lucknow police teams carried out searches at his Amethi house and two official residences in the state capital but he was not found anywhere. The city police even failed to trace his whereabouts on Wednesday.

The minister so far had enjoyed double protection of state government-provided Y-grade security and the police force of his home town Amethi. “I removed the local police personnel deployed in his security a few weeks ago but he is still authorised for Y-grade security cover provided to him on threat perception,” said Anees Ahmad Ansari, superintendent of police (SP) of Amethi.

“He, however, had left behind his Y-grade security cover for last two days due to unknown reason,” he said.

Meanwhile, SSP Lucknow Manzil Saini said the minister’s call details and the complainant woman’s judicial statement were sufficient for his arrest.

Another senior cop in Lucknow said the minister had apparently left behind the security cover, most probably because he feared they may reveal his location to the Lucknow police. His arrest was expected soon after the victim’s judicial statement was recorded on Saturday.