BJP Leader Akhilesh Pratap Singh Among 8 Arrested In Kasganj Gangrape Case

A leader of the Bharatiya Janata Party is among eight accused arrested for the alleged gangrape of a minor girl in Uttar Pradesh's Kasganj district on April 10. 

Akhilesh Pratap Singh aka Gabbar is believed to be closely associated with BJP MLA from Kasganj Devendra Rajput and Hariom Verma. Singh has been associated with the saffron party in the state for the last 15 years, reported The New Indian Express quoting sources. He has often been spotted with BJP MLAs and even former Kasganj MP Rajveer Singh, alias Rajju Bhaiyya.

The accused BJP leader has a criminal record with cases of illegal mining booked against him. He is also named in the case of the attack on the former MLA of Bulandshahr, Anita Lodhi. 

Singh currently holds no position in the party. 

Kasgnaj Minor Gangrape Case 

On April 10, the 16-year-old girl, who was out with her fiance was looted and gang-raped by a group of men. The victim, along with a 17-year-old boy with whom her marriage had been fixed had gone to get her ration card prepared, reported PTI quoting police. 

At about 2:30 pm, while the couple was sitting near a canal after returning from the DSO office, Yogesh, Ajay and seven to eight unidentified men came there, the police said.

The men took them into separate bushes. While three men raped the victim, others took her gold earrings and Rs 5,000 cash. The accused also forcibly got Rs 5,000 transferred from her fiance's mobile through UPI, the victim alleged in her complaint.

The accused have been booked in an FIR under BNS sections 70 (gangrape), 126 (2) (wrongful restraint), 308 (5) (extortion) among others and the POCSO Act on April 12, the police said.

Kasganj Superintendent of Police Ankita Sharma said that eight people have been arrested so far and sent to jail while efforts are on to nab two others.

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