UP Court Acquits Former Union Minister & BJP Leader Chinmayanand In Rape Case

A court in Uttar Pradesh acquitted former Union Minister and BJP leader Chinmayanand in connection with a 2011 rape case lodged against him.

Former Union Minister of State for Home Swami Chinmayanand after being acquitted by a district court in a 2011 rape case filed against him by a disciple, in Shahjahanpur district, Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024

Source : PTI

A special MP and MLA court in Uttar Pradesh on Thursday acquitted former Union Minister and BJP leader Chinmayanand in connection with a 2011 rape case lodged against him. As the victim has turned hostile, the court has also ordered for a case to be registered against her for giving false evidence against Chinmayanand.

The former Union Minister was booked in this case after a woman accused him of rape while she was staying at his ashram. She had stayed at the Ashram for 11 years and had accused Chinmayanand of intoxicating her and raping her.

According to a report by the LiveLaw, the Addl. District & Sessions Judge Judge Ahasan Husain has directed that a case be registered against the victim for giving false evidence against Chinmayanand.

The PTI has reported that he was aquited due to lack of evidence.

The woman had also accused the former minister of recording obscene videos and photographs while raping her. The woman had also alleged that she got pregnant twice and she was made to abort both the times.

In 2018, the UP Government withdrew the case and allowed a public prosecutor to take over from her side. However, the state government was slammed for the decision by a district court whic was later upheld by the High Court.

The UP government's application for withdrawal of the case was then rejected and a bailable warrant was issued against the former minister.

After this, Chinmayanand, moved the High Court and the Supreme Court but failed to get any relief.

In December, 2022, Chinmayanand got anticipatory bail in the case from Allahabad High Court till February 6, 2023. The Bail was further granted after a no-objection certificate was received from the woman and state government.