BSP MLA, three others booked for rape

Lucknow, Jan 12 (PTI) A case of rape was registeredagainst BSP MLA Purshottam Naresh Dwiwedi and his three aidesand orders were issued for their arrest in connection with thealleged criminal assault on a teenaged dalit girl in UttarPradesh''s Banda district.

Soon after the state CB-CID submitted its preliminaryreport in the case, the Mayawati-led BSP government orderedregisteraton of an FIR against the ruling party MLA and histhree associates."On the directive of the Chief Minister, a case ofrape has been registered against the MLA and his three aides,"Cabinet Secretary Shashank Shekhar Singh said.

Mayawati had also issued orders for immediate arrestof the legislator and three others, he told reporters here.

The action followed soon after the CB-CID submittedits preliminary report which found Dwiwedi and his threeassociates guilty, Singh said.

The arrests could take place anytime as police teamshad been been despatched to Banda and other places, he said.

The Cabinet Secretary, however, said the theft chargeon which Sheelu Nishad, the 17-year-old girl belonging to thebackward community, was arrested was found to be true.

"But we are not giving clean chit to anyone includingthe policemen. Stern action will be taken against all thosefound guilty." .