Pressure Mounts for Cong MP's Arrest, Hearing on Anticipatory Bail Plea Today

UP Congress Chief Demands Judicial Probe Into Allegations; BJP Workers Stage Protest, Seek Immediate Arrest

- HT Correspondent

LUCKNOW: Protests intensified and pressure mounted on Wednesday for the arrest of Congress MP from Sitapur Rakesh Rathore, who was booked last week on charges of raping a 45-year-old woman, even as Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) president Ajay Rai demanded a judicial inquiry into the accusations.

According to Sitapur police, the MP has not been found at his Sitapur residence since he was booked on rape charges. A police team had served a notice to his family members at his residence, asking him to give his clarification on allegations by Thursday.

The Sitapur MP/MLA court has turned down the MP's interim bail petition and posted the hearing on the anticipatory bail plea for Thursday, Sitapur superintendent of police Chakresh Mishra said on Wednesday.

The rape survivor has alleged that Rathore raped her several times over the last four years, according to her complaint, the police said. The woman added that the Congress MP had promised to marry her and make her political career.