BSP legislator accused of rape arrested (Second Lead)

LUCKNOW - Uttar Pradesh’s ruling Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislator Purshottam Naresh Dwivedi was arrested in Banda Thursday on charges of raping and illegally confining a minor, top officials said.

Dwivedi represents the ruling party from Banda, 180 km from here, officials said.

The 17-year-old victim, who belongs to the other backward classes (OBC), accused Dwivedi and his henchmen of not only subjecting her to gang-rape but also using his influence to falsely implicate her in a theft case.

Ironically, she is currently in Banda jail after Dwivedi accused her of stealing his licensed revolver, a mobile and Rs.5,000 from his house.

Communist Party of India-Marxist politburo member Brinda Karat said in New Delhi that the teen’s detention was “an outrageous mockery” of the judicial process.

Chief Minister Mayawati had Wednesday ordered the arrest of her party legislator after the preliminary report submitted by the crime branch of the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) confirmed that the teen was gang-raped.

“A case has already been registered against the MLA and his three henchmen, Rajendra Shukla, Surendra Neta and Ravan Garg and orders have been issued for their immediate arrest,” state Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said at a press conference here Wednesday.

His three associates were arrested Wednesday evening.

“As per the preliminary report submitted by CID, the girl was kept under illegal confinement for four days Dec 8-12, 2010. However, there was no sexual assault on her for the first three days, but on the night of Dec 11 and 12, she was raped twice, not only by the MLA but also by his cohorts,” Singh added.

“The preliminary report has also found the girl guilty of committing a theft of Rs.5,000 from the house of the MLA, from where she also took away his daughter-in-law’s mobile phone.”

Dwivedi’s arrest followed a 24-hour cat-and-mouse drama between him and police.

Though the cabinet secretary said Wednesday evening that the legislator would be behind bars “within the next few minutes”, senior officials said Thursday that he was absconding and they were unable to track him down.

Sources said Dwivedi had arrived here Tuesday afternoon and had even called on Mayawati’s trusted lieutenant and powerful multi-portfolio cabinet minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui, who also hails from Banda district.

Dwivedi is also believed to have spoken to some journalists Wednesday. He returned to Banda Thursday afternoon where he was arrested.