Gang rape case: HC rejects bail plea of former cabinet minister Gayatri Prajapati
The court observed that Prajapati, along with other convicts Ashish Kumar Shukla and Ashok Tiwari, was not liable for a release on bail during the pendency of his appeal against the conviction.
Lucknow The Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court has rejected the bail plea of Gayatri Prajapati, a former cabinet minister in Uttar Pradesh, and two other convicted in a gang rape case. Prajapati, who has been languishing in jail for over seven years now, is serving life imprisonment for the crime.
The court observed that Prajapati, along with other convicts Ashish Kumar Shukla and Ashok Tiwari, was not liable for a release on bail during the pendency of his appeal against the conviction.
“...we do not find any good ground on the basis of which the sentence so imposed by the trial court, may be suspended and in result, the bail applications moved by the appellant/co-convicts, Gayatri Prajapati, Ashish Kumar Shukla and Ashok Tiwari are, hereby, rejected,” the court ordered.
A division bench of Justice Vivek Chaudhary and Justice Mohd. Faiz Alam Khan delivered the order on Friday on the bail pleas filed by the three. They were given life imprisonment by a trial court.
On behalf of the state government, additional advocate general (AAG) VK Shahi opposed the bail pleas. Shahi contended the convicts/appellants were not liable to be released on bail on the basis of the gravity of the offence they had been convicted of.
As per the prosecution, the gang rape case was lodged against Prajapati and other accused in the Gautampalli police station of Lucknow on February 18, 2017. The survivor had alleged that Prajapati and his colleagues had raped her. She had also alleged that forcefully physical relation was also made with her minor daughter. On November 12, 2021, the Lucknow sessions court awarded Prajapati and the two said co-accused with life imprisonment and fine.
The former minister had sought bail while his appeal against the conviction in the case by a special court is pending. Prajapati, who was a mining minister in the previous Samajwadi Party government, was arrested and sent to jail in March 2017 on charges of gang raping the woman and attempting to rape her minor daughter. Following a Supreme Court order of February 2017, the case was filed against Prajapati and six others on charges of gang rape, threats and under sections of the Protection of Children From Sexual Offences Act in Lucknow.