UP govt challenges acquittal of former minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati of POCSO Act charge
India Today
The Uttar Pradesh government has challenged the acquittal of Gayatri Prasad Prajapati of stringent charges under the POCSO Act.
The Uttar Pradesh government on Saturday moved the Allahabad High Court, challenging the acquittal of former state minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati of stringent charges under the POCSO Act despite being convicted of gang-raping a woman in 2017.
The state government moved the Lucknow bench of the high court, also challenging the acquittal of his associates in the gang-rape case.
On the government’s plea, a bench of justices Ramesh Sinha and Saroj Yadav issued notices to Prajapati, to be served through the jail superintendent.
A POCSO court on November 12 had convicted Prajapati for committing gang rape but acquitted him and co-accused Ashok Tiwari and Ashish Shukla of the charges under the POCSO act.
The POCSO court had acquitted other accused -- Vikas Verma, Roopeshwar, Amrendra Singh alias Pintu and Chandrapal -- for lack of adequate evidence.
The high court issued a bailable warrant against these four accused for securing their appearance for hearing on the appeal of state.
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