Lucknow: Former IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, who had recently announced to contest against Yogi Adityanath, has been arrested by Lucknow police on Friday.
Thakur has been accused of provoking a rape victim to self-immolation outside Supreme Court and allegedly conspiring with BSP MP Atul Rai to spread false information on social media regarding the rape case filed against Rai by the woman, who set herself ablaze outside Supreme Court last week and succumbed to burn injuries two days ago.
According to Lucknow police, the rape victim had alleged that former IPS was helping the accused and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP, Atul Rai in her case. BSP MP Atul Rai is currently in jail in this case. State government had constituted Special Investigation Team (SIT) to probe in the charges leveled by the rape victim.
In December 2020, the rape victim had levelled serious allegations against the former IPS and accused him of taking money from BSP’s Ghosi MP, Atul Rai, and acting as a political agent. The former IPS had alleged that the deceased woman had made objectionable statements against his family. Several audio and videos related to the case had also gone viral.
Following these allegations, the ex-IPS officer had filed a case against the woman in Lucknow on November 6, 2020.
On August 24 2021, Thakur appeared before a probe committee probing the case. Thakur has sought time from the committee to answer their questions.
On Friday morning, FIR was lodged against Thakur in Hazratganj police station under section 120B, 306, 504, 506, 218, 167 and 195A. Police then reached the residence of Thakur and arrested him.
During the police action former IPS resisted and termed his arrest illegal. However he was forced to surrender and taken to police station.
It may be mentioned here that earlier today, the former IPS had announced to float his own political party and field candidates in the coming assembly polls.