UP Governor asks Akhilesh reasons for retaining rape-accused Prajapati in Cabinet

Lucknow: UP Governor Ram Naik has written to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav asking for reasons for retaining rape-accused Gayatri Prajapati in Cabinet.

The continuance of Prajapati as a minister has raised serious questions of "constitutional morality and dignity," said Uttar Pradesh Governor Ram Naik on Sunday amid the BJP attacking the state govt over its failure to arrest him.

The Governor made the terse remarks in a letter that he shot off today to Yadav, seeking to know if he "justifies" having the tainted minister in his Cabinet.

"A non-bailable warrant has been issued against Prajapati after an FIR was registered against him in a rape case. Serious questions of constitutional morality and dignity arise on his remaining in the Cabinet," the Governor said in a letter to the CM seeking his "justification on retaining the minister," as per PTI.

Naik said as per media reports, a look-out notice has been issued against Prajapati on apprehension that he might flee the country and his passport has also been impounded.

"This is serious in nature with Prapatati being a Cabinet minister," he added.

He said it has also come to his notice that CM himself has asked the minister to surrender but he has not done so till now and is absconding.

There are apprehensions that he might have fled to some foreign country, he said.

Yesterday, non-bailable warrants were issued by the police against the absconding minister and six other persons while his passport was impounded and a look-out notice issued against him.

The police action came on a day when Prime Minister Narendra Modi accused alliance partners SP and Congress of chanting "Gayatri Prajapati mantra".

Police said raids were also being conducted in Lucknow, Kanpur and Amethi to trace Prajapati who is absconding after the 49-year-old SP leader was booked following a Supreme Court directive.

The action also cames a day after airports across the country were alerted about the possibility of Prajapati trying to flee the country.

 Uttar Pradesh has a long porous border with Nepal and is manned by SSB, a border guarding force of the Union Home Ministry, which has also been alerted about the possiblity of such a move by Prajapati.

The UP Police registered an FIR against Prajapati for allegedly gang-raping a woman and molesting her minor daughter with his aides.

The FIR was filed recently following a directive of the Supreme Court after the alleged victim woman approached it. 

(With Agency inputs)