BSP MP accused in rape case gets setback from SC over protection from arrest

The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant protection from arrest to newly elected BSP MP from Ghosi Lok Sabha constituency in Uttar Pradesh, Atul Rai, accused of raping a college student from Varanasi. A vacation bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justice Aniruddha Bose said it was not inclined to entertain a petition to grant relief from arrest to Rai.

Previously, the apex court had refused to grant interim protection from arrest to Rai. An FIR was registered against him on May 1 on a complaint by a college student, alleging that he took her to his home on the pretext of introducing her to his wife but sexually assaulted her.

Rai's lawyer has said there was no provision for an anticipatory bail in Uttar Pradesh, and since the high court on May 8 had dismissed Rai's petition seeking protection, he feared his client could be arrested in the case.