Maharajganj: Former BJP minority cell in-charge of UIttar Pradesh's Maharajganj district, Rahi Masoom Raza, who is accused of the rape of a dalit girl and murder of her father, was arrested by Maharajganj police on Saturday evening.
After his arrest from Sunauli border, Raza, who was returning from Nepal, was sent to judicial custody. Disciplinary action has been taken against 19 police personnel for dereliction of duty.
Five police personnel including police outpost in-charge was suspended. A cop has been arrested and sent to jail. On August 28, a young woman from Sant Kabir Nagar district filed a complaint with the Kotwali police against Raza for allegedly raping and molesting her younger sister and murdering her father. The Kotwali police had registered a case on September 5 against the accused former BJP leader Rahi Masoom Raza's son Sanaullah Khan. The girl and her family were living on rent in the BJP leader's house for the past six years.
On the orders of the SP, four teams of Kotwali police along with SWAT and SOG teams of the district were rushed to the spot for the arrest. On September 16, the accused, Raza Rahi, was arrested from village Hardidali of Sonauli Kotwali area. On Sunday, he was produced at the court amid tight security. The court sent him to judicial custody. Additional SP Atish Kumar Singh said that Rahi Masoom Raza was produced in the court on Sunday, where he was sent to jail under judicial custody by the court.
Investigations revealed that a police man has made a deal of Rs 9 lakh with the victim to save Raza, who was the district president of BJP's minority cell. Kotwali police constable Abid Ali and Guddu alias Mumtaz, a close friend of the BJP leader who made a shoddy financial deal, were arrested and sent to jail.
Accused constable Abid Ali is a resident of Gram Sabha Haran Bharni Thana Bhatni of Deoria district. He used to live on rent in the house of former BJP leader. In the case, the victim was forced to change her statement after she was threatened.
