In a major breakthrough in connection with the case related to rape-accused absconding Uttar Pradesh minister Gayatri Prajapati, state police have arrested two co-accused from Noida, according to a report. “UP police’s Special Task Force arrested two pore persons in connection with Gayatri Prajapati,” ADG Daljit Chaudhary said. This comes a day after police had arrested his gunner Chandrapal Singh.

The Supreme Court on March6, refused to stay the arrest of absconding Prajapati and asked him to approach the concerned court.  Prajapati, who has been on the run since February 27 after an FIR was lodged against him, had approached the top court for a stay on his arrest.  A bench of the apex court headed by Justice Arjan Kumar Sikri made it clear that it won’t modify its order.  Prajapati is accused of raping a woman and molesting her minor daughter in 2014.  The Uttar Pradesh Police had issued non-bailable warrants against Prajapati and six others in connection with the rape charges. Prajapati’s passport has already been impounded and a look-out notice issued against him. The UP Police had already asked the Ministry of External Affairs to cancel Prajapati’s passport.

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“Chandrapal (Prajapati’s PSO) was arrested near Police Lines here,” Additional Superintendent of Police (East) Shivram Yadav told PTI. “We are interrogating Chandrapal and trying to extract information and whereabouts about rest of the minister’s accomplices. The police is also conducting raids at locations revealed by the arrested gunner,” he said. Notably Prajapati has been absconding since February 27.

ADG (Law and Order) Daljit Chaudhary said efforts have been intensified to track down the minister against whom a non-bailable warrant has been issued. “UP Police Special Task Force has been roped in to trace the elusive minister,” he said. The continuance of Prajapati as a minister has raised serious questions of “constitutional morality and dignity,” with Governor Ram Naik writing a letter to Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, seeking to know if he “justifies” having the tainted minister in his Cabinet.

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Chandrapal, when approached by media persons, said, “False allegations have been levelled against me. I went to Police Lines to voluntarily deposit my service pistol. I was arrested there. I was told my name is there in the FIR.” He clarified that he was not absconding or hiding along with the minister. “I did not even have any telephonic conversation with him (Prajapati),” he said.

Asked whether he was involved in the gangrape, he said, “The victim is lying. I perform my duty. I was with Prajapati till February 27 and have no clue about him after that day. Earlier in the day, Prajapati failed to get relief from the Supreme Court which expressed unhappiness that its order on lodging of FIR against the SP leader was being given “political colour”.

(With agency inputs)