Uttar Pradesh: Congress MP Rakesh Rathore arrested in Sitapur on rape charge during press briefing | Latest News India

Congress MP Rakesh Rathore was arrested on rape charge in Uttar Pradesh’s Sitapur during a press briefing on Thursday. The arrest of Rakesh Rathore, who is accused of raping a 45-year-old woman by promising to marry and build her political career for the past four, was made after nearly a chase of two weeks, confirmed Sitapur superintendent of police (SP) Chakresh Mishra told said over phone.

Earlier on January 17, the FIR was lodged against the MP under Bhartiya Nyay Sanhita (BNS) Sections 64 for rape, 351 (3) for criminal intimidation and 327 (2) for threatening using firearm at Sitapur’s City Kotwali police station. He had been absconding since the registration of FIR amid his attempts to get anticipatory bail in the case. But a Lucknow bench of Allahabad high court on Wednesday turned down his petition for anticipatory bail and directed him to surrender in the Sitapur district and sessions court within two weeks’ time.

Mishra said the MP was arrested from his house while he called a press conference to clarify his stand over the allegations against him in the FIR. He said Rakesh Rathore has been taken to the city Kotwali police station for further legal proceedings.

The police officer said the accused would be soon produced before the competent court, which will further decide his fate.

The SP said the Sitapur Police was carrying out searches for the arrest of the accused at his hideouts in Sitapur, Lucknow and other cities. The officer added that the police even served the notice at his Sitapur residence on January 21, asking him to give his clarification over the allegations, but he did not turn up before the police and kept evading the arrest for the past two weeks.

“We carried out the raid at his residence at around 1.30pm after coming to know that he was holding a press conference to give clarification to media over allegations levelled against him,” the SP said.