Charge-sheet filed against BSP MLA in Banda rape case

LUCKNOW - Uttar Pradesh Police’s Criminal Investigation Department (CID) Thursday filed its charge-sheet in the Banda rape case, terming local ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Purshottam Naresh Dwivedi as the key accused.

Disclosing this, Chief Minister Mayawati said: “We believe in taking prompt action against wrong-doers, no matter how high and mighty they be and it was in keeping with that spirit that the Crime Branch of CID had submitted its charge-sheet against our own party MLA (legislator) in record time.”

“Meanwhile, the government has also moved an application to transfer the case to a fast-track court so that timely justice could be dispensed to the victim,” she told reporters at a press conference at her official residence.

Reiterating the names of all police and jail officials against whom some punitive action was ordered by the government for their alleged complicity or mischief in the case, she said “anyone who was even remotely responsible for dereliction of duty” has not been spared.

Flaying opposition parties for their criticism of her government on the recent rape cases in Banda and Kanpur, Mayawati said: “I wish to ask opposition leaders, particularly those of the Congress, to cite one example where their governments have been as prompt, stern and impartial in initiating punitive action against its own leaders, involved in criminal activities or scams.”

She claimed that both in the cases, her government was very quick on ordering CID probes following which prompt action was taken against the culprits.

In her bid to establish that the crime graph in Uttar Pradesh was lower than in Congress-ruled states like Delhi, she also cited comparative statistics particularly of crime against women.

Giving out the list of her own ministers, MPs and legislators against whom she had personally initiated action after they were found to be indulging in immoral or corrupt activities, she said: “I have never believed in compromising on the law and order issues.”

“I would, therefore, advise the opposition to stop making wild and baseless allegations about deteriorating law and order under my government.”