A forensic team visited the spot in a village in Sultanpur where the woman was found dead.
Highlights
- In 2013, woman alleged gang-rape by eight men, including SP legislator
- She was found dead on Saturday, police suspect she was strangled
- Lawmaker named was eventually cleared by police in the investigation
A lawmaker of Uttar Pradesh's ruling Samajwadi Party has been accused of murder in a police complaint by the father of a woman who was found dead yesterday, four years after she had alleged gang-rape by the politician and seven others. The police suspect she was poisoned and strangled. Arun Verma, the legislator representing Sultanpur, was the first party candidate for whom Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav campaigned after launching his bid last month for re-election in the ongoing Uttar Pradesh elections.
Mr Verma has strongly denied any role in the death of the 21-year-old, whose body was found near her home on Saturday night.
"This is a conspiracy. I demand a CBI investigation in this case," he said today.
The woman's father says that around 7 pm on Saturday, she went to use the bathroom and didn't return. The family dialed the police, who found her body after searching the area.
In 2013, the woman had alleged that she was gang-raped by eight men including the Samajwadi Party leader. Mr Verma was named by her father but he was cleared by the police in the investigation.
It was found that Mr Verma's phone was in Lucknow at the time of the incident. His name was not included in the police charge-sheet and, along with three others, he was later absolved of any involvement.
The woman had reportedly changed her statement a few times in court. She didn't name the lawmaker when she first complained, but did so later in court.
Her father said they were given police protection on a High Court order but it was withdrawn. The case is still in court.