Former police officer held for fabricating evidence in BSP MP rape case

Lucknow police commissioner DK Thakur confirmed Amitabh Thakur’s arrest and added he was taken to Hazratganj police station

Former Indian Police Service officer Amitabh Thakur was arrested on Friday in Lucknow after he was booked for the alleged harassment of the woman, who accused the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Member of Parliament Atul Rai of raping her in 2019.

Representational image.

Thakur was booked on the basis of the findings of a two-member committee that was constituted after the woman and her associate set themselves on fire outside the Supreme Court on August 16. The two later succumbed to their injuries. Minutes before their self-immolation, the two in a Facebook Live levelled allegations against at least five police officers of harassing her to save Rai in the rape case. In the 10-minute-long video, the woman said she was also being framed in a false case.

Lucknow police commissioner DK Thakur confirmed Amitabh Thakur’s arrest and added he was taken to Hazratganj police station.

A second police officer, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Amitabh Thakur has been booked under Indian Penal Code’s Sections 167 (public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury), 195-A (threatening any person to give false evidence), 218 (public servant framing incorrect record or writing with intent to save a person from punishment or property from forfeiture), 306 (abetment of suicide), 504 (intentional insult) and 506 (criminal intimidation). He said Rai, who is already in jail in the rape case, has been booked in fresh case too.

The second officer said the probe committee also found the woman wrote a letter on November 10, 2020, saying Amitabh Thakur was allegedly in connivance with Rai fabricating evidence against her and her associate. He said the woman alleged that Amitabh Thakur intentionally tried to create fake evidence. The second officer said the woman alleged at least seven criminal cases were lodged against her and her associate by Rai to harass her and to pressure her to withdraw the rape case. He said the probe committee. in its report, said the woman also wrote how they were being allegedly forced to end their lives.

The committee earlier on Thursday questioned Amitabh Thakur even as he refuted all allegations. On August 17, the state government formed the committee to look into allegations against him and submit a report within two weeks.

Earlier on Friday, Amitabh Thakur announced the formation of a new political party. On August 14, he said he would contest the 2022 state assembly polls from wherever chief minister Yogi Adityanath would seek re-election. Amitabh Thakur faced multiple inquiries during his service. He was compulsorily retired in March.