Gayatri Prajapati rape case: Court to frame charges today against former UP minister

File photo of Gayatri Prasad Prajapati (PTI)

New Delhi: A court in Lucknow on Monday will frame charges against former UP Minister Gayatri Prajapati in an alleged rape case. Recently, an illegal building owned by Prajapati, who is currently in jail over gang rape charges, was demolished in the state capital. Many norms were flouted in the construction of the building, officials said. The Allahabad High Court had earlier ordered the building's demolition but the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) dragged its feet out of fear of the once-powerful Minister. The LDA sprung into action after a recent rap by the court over the delay. Three bulldozers of the LDA went to the multi-storeyed building at Saleh Nagar in Aashiana on Saturday around noon and brought it down. There was no protest from anyone in the locality over the demolition, an official said. Several armed police officers had accompanied the squad fearing that locals and Prajapati supporters might create a ruckus. Prajapati was one of the most powerful ministers in the Akhilesh Yadav cabinet and is currently in jail over charges of a gang rape and intimidation of the survivor. He is also being probed by the CBI over illegal mining charges. Almost a week back, Samajwadi Party patron Mulayam Singh Yadav visited the district jail here to meet former minister and close aide Gayatri Prasad Prajapati, lodged there in connection with a rape case, and described him as "innocent". Mulayam alleged that Prajapati was being treated like a "terrorist" and said he would take up the matter with the Prime Minister. "There is no proof with the police against Prajapati. A conspiracy is being hatched against him," he said. "He (Prajapati) is innocent and is being meted treatment like terrorists. The BJP government is following political vendetta. I will meet the prime minister and if needed the president to apprise them of the matter," he told reporters later. Mulayam had earlier too visited the jail to meet Prajapati, but could not obtain permission from authorities as it was a holiday on account of Eid. During his visit, he remained with Prajapati for over an hour. Prajapati was arrested after an FIR was registered with the Gautampalli police station here on February 18, 2017 on the Supreme Court directive. The complainant had alleged that she was repeatedly raped by the accused. She had alleged that Prajapati had also tried to molest her daughter. A Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court will frame charges on July 3 against Prajapati and six others in the case. Mulayam also spoke in favour of some girl inmates, who had shown black flags to Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath recently. "In a democracy, one has the right to show black flags. The girls are also getting terrorist-like treatment," he alleged. (With inputs from agencies)