Gayatri Prasad Prajapati
In picture: Gayatri Prasad Prajapati touches the feet of Mulayam Singh Yadav at a programme in September 2016.IANS File Photo

At least five people, including two sons of absconding rape-accused Samajwadi Party minister Gayatri Prajapati, were detained by the Uttar Pradesh police and the Special Task Force (STF) team on Tuesday in connection with the gang rape case against the minister.

Media reports suggest that the police arrested Prajapati's two sons from Noida for allegedly providing shelter to the absconding minister. The UP police have so far arrested six people in connection with the case, but Prajapati is still on the run.

A close aide of rape-accused Samajwadi Party (SP) minister Gayatri Prasad Prajapati surrendered before the Lucknow Police on March 6. Prajapati and six others have been accused of raping a woman in October 2014 and repeating it till July 2016.

The rape survivor had moved the Supreme Court alleging that Prajapati and six others had committed the crime at his Lucknow residence in 2014. She added that the minister then blackmailed her with photographs of the crime to stop her from approaching the police. The victim alleged that her daughter, who is a minor, was also a victim of a similar assault in 2016, following which she wrote to the state DGP requesting him to take action against the accused.

The apex court on March 6 refused to stay the arrest of Prajapati, who has been missing since February 27 after an FIR was filed against him on February 18 at Gautampalli Police Station under several sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act.. The court said the UP police will decide whether the minister should be arrested or not. Prajapati had approached the SC seeking a stay on his arrest.

"The law should take its course if there is a non-bailable warrant against him. Prajapati can approach concerned court for seeking bail if he is arrested," the SC said.

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