PARTY MEMBER, HIS TWO FRIENDS HELD IN SEXUAL ASSAULT CASE

A member of the Shivpal Singh Yadav-led Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia) who was aspiring to contest the upcoming Uttar Pradesh assembly elections from the Meerut Cantonment seat on the party’s ticket, was arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with a sexual assault case registered at south Delhi’s New Friends Colony (NFC) police station, officers associated with the probe said on Wednesday.

Police said party leader Rohit Pandey, who is also the partowner of a real-estate company, was arrested from his house in Meerut’s Ansal Town, following a search conducted by the NFC police team on Monday night. The Meerut police confirmed Pandey’s arrest from his home. Two of his friends have also been arrested in the same case and all three have been sent to judicial custody, police said.

Deputy commissioner of police (south-east) RP Meena said a woman filed a complaint at the NFC police station stating that she was sexually assaulted by Pandey and his friend in the NFC area, and again by three people– Pandey and his two friends – in Shilma, Himachal Pradesh. Accordingly, a case was registered on June 6 and Pandey and his two friends were arrested on June 7, Meena said. Police said the allegations pertain to a crime that took place a “long time ago” and added they are “investigating the entire case thoroughly”.

Deepak Mishra, chief spokesperson of the Pragatisheel Samajwadi Party (Lohia), said he was aware of the charges under which Pandey was arrested and confirmed he had claimed candidacy for Meerut Cantonment assembly seat.

“We have sought details from the party’s Meerut district unit about Pandey and the crime for which he has been arrested. The procedure to cancel his membership from the party has been initiated. Respecting women and protecting their rights is a part of our party ideology... If any of our party members is found involved in any sort of women-related crimes, they will be sacked at the earliest,” Mishra said.

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