No relief for Gayatri Prajapati from Supreme Court

New Delhi: In a huge setback to the Samajwadi Party in the midst of Assembly polls, the Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant relief from arrest to state transport minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati in an alleged rape and sexual harassment case filed by a 35 year old woman. He is now contesting from Amethi constituency and on the run following a non bailable warrant issued for his arrest.

A bench of Justices A.K. Sikri and R.K. Agrawal regretted that the matter has now assumed political overtones. The bench made it clear to the counsel for Prajapathi and the state government, “We only directed registration of FIR and investigation. You probe into the matter and if there is nothing say so. We have not ordered non bailable warrants. If some other court had issued NBW then it is open to you to challenge the same in accordance with law. This court has not expressed any opinion or monitoring the investigation. Parties may avail whatever rights and remedies available to them.”     

The bench passed this on a petition from the woman, who alleged that the minister promised her a post in SP party and raped her when she met him three years ago.

She also alleged that the minister also took some obscene photos and threatened her that they would be made public and repeatedly raped her. She also alleged that the minister molested her teenaged daughter but the police refused to register an FIR.