Why is rape accused Gayatri Prajapati still cabinet minister: UP governor Ram Naik asks CM Akhilesh for response

Uttar Pradesh governor Ram Naik on Sunday sought clarification from chief minister Akhilesh Yadav over rape accused Gayatri Prajajpati's continuation as 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 question of constitutional morality and dignity arise on his remaining in the cabinet", the governor said in a stinging letter he dashed off to the CM.

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

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

The governor 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 added.

The UP police on Saturday issued non-bailable warrants against Prajapati and six others in connection with the rape charges.

Prajapati's passport has also been revoked for four weeks to prevent him from attempting to flee out of the country.

The police action came barely hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi took a dig at the alliance partners SP and



Congress, accusing them of chanting "Gayatri Prajapati Mantra" in an oblique reference to allege police inaction in the case.

The controversial minister is the ruling Samajwadi Party (SP) candidate from Amethi assembly constituency.

Earlier this week, the police also initiated proceedings for a look out notice against Prajapati following reports that he may try to escape abroad to evade arrest.

On the directives of the Supreme Court, the UP police filed an FIR against Prajapati, a senior SP leader, in connection with separate cases of gangrape and attempt to rape another woman and her minor daughter.

On February 20, Prajapati moved the Supreme Court against its order and sought protection from the arrest and recall of the apex court's earlier order.

A 35-year-old woman had accused Prajapati of raping her when she met him three years ago.

He is also accused of taking obscene photos of the victim and threatening her to make the pictures public and raping her for the past two years.

However, Prajapati claimed it to be a conspiracy of the BJP in order to distract people's attention from the assembly polls.

"It is a conspiracy against me. I don't even know who the lady is. Since the government has ordered such probe, I would accept it gladly," Prajapati had told a news agency.