Ex-UP minister Prajapati granted bail in gang rape case

Lucknow, April 25 (IANS) Former Uttar Pradesh Minister Gayatri Prajapati was on Tuesday granted bail in a case pertaining to gang rape of a minor.

His two accomplices, Vikas and Pintoo, were also granted bail by the special court for Protection of Children against Sexual Offences (Pocso) cases.

Special Judge O.P. Mishra, hearing the application, granted the bail to the former Mining and Transport Minister on two personal bonds of Rs 1 lakh each. A case against the minister for alleged rape and on charges of violating Posco Act was filed in the Gautampalli police station here in February.

On Monday, the state government submitted a status report to the Supreme Court in this matter, apprising it that the former minister has been arrested along with all the other accused and that the matter is being investigated.

The Supreme Court was also told by the state government that with the progress registered in the case, it should now stop hearing the matter. The apex court, meanwhile, directed the state government to hand over a copy of the status report to the victim.

Prajapati was a powerful minister in the Akhilesh Yadav government, who despite being charged in many cases, could not be arrested and became a major embarrassment for the Samajwadi Party government during the assembly elections. The BJP used his case to hit out against "lawlessness" in the state under the Samajwadi Party rule.