This Article is From Jan 02, 2011

Minor rape case: BSP MLA suspended till completion of inquiry

Lucknow: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati has suspended the BSP MLA  who is allegedly accused in the minor rape case.  

The MLA has been suspended till the completion of inquiry. Also, if he is found guilty he will be removed  from the party and will be sent to jail.

Earlier, Mayawati had ordered a CB-CID probe in alleged rape of the minor girl by the BSP MLA.

The victims' medical examination was conducted on Saturday, almost nine days after the incident allegedly took place.

The case has spiralled into a huge war of words between the Congress and the BSP in the state. The Congress slammed the Chief Minister and her government.

"A BSP MLA has committed a crime; this is a government of criminals (Bahujan Samaj Party ke ek vidhayak ne apraadh kiya hai aur yeh sarkar to ab apraadhiyon ki sarkar hi ho gayi hai)," Uttar Pradesh Congress president Rita Bahuguna said.

The Congress even demanded that Chief Minister Mayawati arrest Purshottam Narain Dwivedi, the BSP MLA from Banda, who allegedly raped a minor Dalit girl and then implicated her in a case of theft.

"My political rivals have been conspiring against me and are ruining my image," Purshottam said.

The MLA says he had given the girl shelter because her father was unable to support her, and she was being ostracised in her village over a covert relationship.

But the Congress alleges the girl was kidnapped and raped by the MLA, and now she has been arrested so she does not reveal the truth.

"On December 13, the girl stole a phone, some clothes and Rs. 7000 from the MLA's house and left. She has confessed to taking all the items," said Anil Das, Superintendent of Police, Banda.

Meanwhile, the girl's father claims she has been missing for a while.

The Congress has also demanded a high-level judicial probe - a clear attempt to draw political mileage out of the case.
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