Ex-IPS officer who challenged Yogi arrested on charges of abetment-to-suicide

Lucknow: A former senior Uttar Pradesh IPS officer who announced his newly formed political party to challenge Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in the 2022 state assembly polls has been arrested on various charges, including abetting a rape victim to self immolate outside the Supreme Court.

IPS officer Amitabh Thakur, who was forcibly retired by the Union Home Ministry in March this year for non-performance, was seen being dragged to the Police jeep when he registered his protest against the arrest. He has been sent to judicial custody till September 9.

Other charges include public servant framing an incorrect document with intent to cause injury, threatening any person to give false evidence, public servant framing incorrect record with intent to save a person from punishment or property from forfeiture, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace, punishment for criminal intimidation and criminal conspiracy.

A video of Thakur being arrested by the UP police officials has surfaced on social media websites. In the video, Thakur could be seen desperately trying to resist the arrest as police officials shove him inside their vehicle.

#लखनऊ : अमिताभ ठाकुर के गिरफ्तारी का वीडियो। @Amitabhthakur @lkopolice pic.twitter.com/req9KrhFoM

— UttarPradesh.ORG News (@WeUttarPradesh) August 27, 2021

Woman, a native of Ballia had lodged an FIR against Atul Rai in 2018 for raping her at a flat in Varanasi. Rai was later arrested and also won the Lok Sabha elections from Ghosi while remaining in jail in 2019.

Since then, the woman and her male friend who was also stated to be one of the witnesses were fighting the case in court. In the meantime, seven cases were registered against the woman and witnesses and the last was lodged by Rai's brother against her of cheating and forgery. After registering this case, police also got NBW (non-bailable warrant) against her and since then she was on run.

On Aug 16, she came along with her male friend set themselves on fire. Before committing suicide, they did a Facebook live naming Atul Rai, Amitabh Thakur, and a few other officers responsible for their extreme step.