Ex-IPS officer who challenged Yogi Adityanath held for ‘abetting’ rape victim’s suicide

Lucknow, August 27

Within hours of announcing his plans to float a political outfit ahead of the 2022 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur was arrested from his residence in Lucknow on Friday on serious charges, including the abetment of suicide of a rape victim and her friend in Delhi recently.

The 24-year-old woman, who had accused BSP MP Atul Rai of rape in May 2019, died on August 24 after she and her friend Satyam Rai set themselves afire outside the SC complex on August 16. Before the suicide, both had shared their pain on social media.

A SIT, formed to probe the matter, submitted its report on Friday. On the basis of the report, Thakur was arrested from his residence and taken to the Hazratganj Kotwali, a senior official said.

The SIT alleged that a total of seven cases were registered by the accused party (Atul Rai) against the victim and her witness. It claimed that Thakur took money from Atul Rai for fabricating false evidence against the rape victim and maligned her image.

Lucknow Police Commissioner DK Thakur on Friday said the former IPS officer had been arrested in a case registered after the death of the rape victim. According to police sources, the case has been registered under Sections 120-B, 195-A, 218, 306, 504 and 506 against MP Rai and Amitabh Thakur on a complaint of senior sub-inspector Dayashankar Dwivedi in Hazratganj Kotwali on the instructions of the SIT.

Thakur, who was given compulsory retirement by the government, had announced that he would contest against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the Assembly elections to be held early next year. — PTI