Taking suo motu cognizance of media reports regarding alleged gangrape remarks by Mulayam Singh Yadav, a local court in Uttar Pradesh’s Mahoba district on Friday issued summons to the Samajwadi Party (SP) chief.
Yadav had recently courted controversy by saying that “a rape by four people was not practically possible”.
In the order, Munsif Magistrate Ankit Goyal at the civil court (junior division) in Kulpahad tehsil of Mahoba district-250 km from state capital Lucknow — has summoned the SP chief for a hearing in the case on September 16. The summons have been issued under sections 3 and 4 of Indecent Representation of Women Prohibition Act, 1956, and sections 504/505/509/116 of the Indian Penal Code.
The magistrate said that he has taken suo motu cognizance of media reports in the case.
It may be recalled that Yadav drew severe criticism over the remark made by him during a function to launch the SP government’s free e-rickshaw scheme in Lucknow on Tuesday.
“One person commits a rape and four are named in the complaint. Is that even possible?” Mulayam asked while emphasising that if there was a state in the country with least number of rapes, it was Uttar Pradesh.
{{/usCountry}}“One person commits a rape and four are named in the complaint. Is that even possible?” Mulayam asked while emphasising that if there was a state in the country with least number of rapes, it was Uttar Pradesh.
{{/usCountry}}The order also cited Mulayam’s “boys make mistake” remarks on rape that drew flak a year ago.