ex-politician-held-for-attempted-rape-in-up-s-kannauj

A 50-year-old former politician has been arrested on allegations of attempting to rape a minor girl in Kannauj on Monday, according to local police.

 

The arrest has sparked a political controversy, with the BJP accusing the Samajwadi Party (SP) of harbouring the accused, Nawab Singh Yadav, who was reportedly a close associate of senior SP leader Dimple Yadav during her tenure as the Lok Sabha MP for Kannauj.

 

The SP has distanced itself from the incident, asserting that Yadav is no longer affiliated with the party. 

 

Kannauj Superintendent of Police Amit Kumar Anand stated that the police received a call around 1.30 am from the girl, who claimed that she was undressed and an attempt was made to rape her. The girl, accompanied by her aunt, had visited Yadav under the pretext of securing a job for her.

 

According to the police report, Yadav allegedly tried to assault the girl while her aunt was in the bathroom. The situation was reported when the aunt returned and saw Yadav in his inner wear, prompting them to call emergency services.

 

Local police and PRV teams responded promptly to the call, rescuing the girl and arresting Yadav, who was found in an inappropriate condition. An FIR has been lodged under relevant sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the POCSO Act. Yadav is in custody as further legal proceedings continue.

 

In response to the incident, UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi launched a strong critique of the SP, likening the Kannauj case to a recent rape case in Ayodhya involving a minor. 

 

Tripathi accused the SP of covering up such crimes, citing previous cases as evidence of the party's failure to address such issues adequately.

 

In contrast, Samajwadi Party Kannauj unit president Kaleem Khan stated that Yadav is no longer a party member and characterised the case as a personal matter, unrelated to the party.

 

The controversy follows a similar incident in Ayodhya on July 30, where Moid Khan, a bakery owner and SP member, was arrested for the rape of a minor girl. 

 

UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath had criticised the SP for not taking action against Khan, while SP chief Akhilesh Yadav condemned attempts to politicise the case, attributing the BJP's reaction to their recent electoral setbacks.