Hours after virtually giving a clean chit to Unnao rape accused BJP legislator Kuldeep Sengar, the Uttar Pradesh police did a U-turn and booked the lawmaker for murder in connection with Sunday's ''road accident'' in which two persons, including the aunt of the victim, were killed.
A truck had smashed into their vehicle in the state's Raebareli district, about 80 kilometres from here. The rape victim and another person were critically injured and were being treated at the KG Medical University Hospital in the state capital.
According to the police sources here, an FIR against Senger and nine others was registered at the Gurbuxganj police station in Raebareli. They have been charged under sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder) and 120 B (criminal conspiracy).
Sources said that the case was registered after suspicion of a link between the truck driver and the MLA.
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''We are examining the call details of the truck owner and driver and some persons close to the MLA,'' said a senior police official in Raebareli.
Earlier in the day, the state police chief O P Singh said that ''prima facie it appears to be an accident....it was raining heavily when the collision between the truck and the car took place.''
In the absence of the security personnel with the victim, Singh said that the family of the former had told the security detail that there was no room in the car.
The cousin of the victim, however, claimed that the supporters of the MLA had been ''threatening'' them and ''exerting pressure'' on them to withdraw the complaint.
''The MLA used to issue threats during court appearances...he runs his network from behind the four walls of the prison,'' she alleged.
The Opposition parties slammed the government on the matter and demanded a CBI probe into it. ''She (rape victim) lies grievously wounded at the hospital from the same accident....the accused is still a BJP MLA and the BJP state government runs a fear-free state campaign,'' Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said in a Twitter post.
Criticising the BJP, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said, "Everyday they (BJP) defame Bengal but does the (central) government have any idea about what is happening in UP? What happened in Unnao? Two relatives of the victim died and she is in serious condition. There should be a high-level probe. The prime minister should look into it."
The Trinamool Congress supremo claimed that the CBI works at the Centre's directive and questioned why the central agency's help was not sought to probe the accident.
Talking to reporters in Lucknow, Delhi Commission For Women chief Swati Maliwal alleged there was "gundaraj" in the state and claimed that no one from the Uttar Pradesh government has visited the woman till now. Maliwal, who met the Unnao rape survivor at a Lucknow hospital where she has been admitted, also said that she should be airlifted to Delhi for better treatment as she is "critical".
She added that the victim's family believes that the turn of events was a "conspiracy" and not an accident, adding that the Commission will fight to bring justice to the girl and her family.
Demanding a CBI probe into the Sunday incident, SP Chief Akhilesh Yadav said, "This incident has links with a BJP MLA and there is BJP government in the state. There is 'jungle raaj' in the state. The criminals are roaming fearlessly. Only a CBI probe will solve this mystery."
"Beti Bachao! This slogan is a grim warning in this context, which involves a BJP lawmaker and party's state govt. This is the reality of BJP's policies towards women," tweeted CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury.
Aam Aadmi Party Chief Arvind Kejriwal said, "Instead of getting justice, the family members are victimised. The government and the country should support the victim and the accused must be punished."
"Systematic attempts to eliminate the Unnao rape victim and her family appear to be a pre-planned conspiracy & a mockery of rule of law. How can any civilised society allow such state sponsored barbarism? (sic)," the Delhi chief minister tweeted.
Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari alleged that the voice of the victim was being suppressed.
"We demand that the Supreme Court takes note of the incident involving the Unnao rape victim. The 'miscarriage of justice' taking place... and the voice of victims being suppressed will stop only when the apex court directly intervenes and takes note of the entire inquiry into the Unnao rape case," he said.
The Unnao rape case had hit the headlines last year after the victim accused Sengar of raping her and also torturing her family in a bid to stop her from approaching the police.
With inputs from PTI.