Lucknow:
BSP MLA Purushottam Naresh Dwiwedi, who is accused of raping a minor Dalit girl in Uttar Pradesh's Banda district, is absconding while two of his aides have been arrested in connection with the case, said officials.
"Rajendra Shukla and Surendra Neta, who are co-accused in the rape case of the minor girl were arrested in Banda district after an FIR was filed against them," they said.
However, the MLA and another aide and co-accused Ravan Garg are absconding and a search is on to nab them.
A case of rape was registered against the BSP MLA and his three aides and orders were issued for their arrest in connection with the alleged criminal assault on a teenage dalit girl.
Soon after the state CB-CID submitted its preliminary report in the case, the Mayawati-led BSP government ordered registration of an FIR against the ruling party MLA and his three associates.
"On the directive of the Chief Minister, a case of rape has been registered against the MLA and his three aides," said Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh.
Mayawati had also issued orders for immediate arrest of the legislator and three others, Singh added.The action followed soon after the CB-CID submitted its preliminary report which found Dwiwedi and his three aides prima facie guilty, he said.
The arrests could take place anytime as police teams have been dispatched to Banda and other places, he added.
The Cabinet Secretary, however, said the theft charge on which the 17-year-old girl belonging to the backward community was arrested, was found to be true.
"But we are not giving clean chit to anyone including the policemen. Stern action will be taken against all those found guilty," he said.