UP Police gives clean chit to Bhadohi BJP MLA Ravindra Nath Tripathi in gangrape case, arrests his nephew

Bhadohi: The Uttar Pradesh police on Saturday (February 22, 2020) gave a clean chit to Bhadohi BJP MLA Ravindra Nath Tripathi who was accused in gang-rape case as there was "no evidence" found against him. Meanwhile, the police arrested his nephew Sandeep Tripathi who was also accused in the gang-rape case. One of the MLA sons, Nitesh, was charged under section 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code.

On February 20, an FIR was lodged against BJP MLA, his five sons — Sachin, Chandrabhushan, Deepak, Prakash and Nitesh and nephew for allegedly raping a 35-year-old woman. The FIR was registered under sections 376 D, 313, 504, 506 of the IPC at Bhadohi Kotwali. 

The victim from Varanasi had earlier met the Superintendent of Police and accused the leader of raping her in a hotel in Bhadohi. 

As per her complaint, the incident happened during the 2017 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

In her complaint, the woman stated that she had met the MLA's nephew Sandeep Tripathi in 2014 on a train while travelling to Mumbai. They became good friends and exchanged numbers. She further accused Sandeep of sexually exploiting her after promising marriage. 

In 2017, Sandeep asked her to come to Bhadohi where he kept her in a hotel. There Ravindra Nath Tripathi raped her, the MLA's nephews and sons also raped her on different days. 

After the complaint against the leaders was registered, Superintendent of Police Ram Badan Singh had said that the matter is under the investigation and further action will be taken after a thorough probe in the matter.