Taking over the probe, the CBI lodged three FIRs in the case.

BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, accused of abduction and rape of a minor girl in Unnao in Uttar Pradesh, was arrested on Friday evening by the CBI. The move comes after the Allahabad High Court’s direction to the agency earlier in the day to arrest the lawmaker.

Ruling on a PIL petition on why the police had not arrested the MLA, the HC came down strongly on the Yogi Adityanath government, saying, “The disturbing feature of the case is that the law and order machinery and the government officials were directly in league and under the influence” of the MLA.

Taking over the probe, the CBI lodged three FIRs in the case.

Mediapersons wait outside the CBI office in Lucknow on April 13, 2018 | Photo Credit: Rajeev Bhatt

A Division Bench of Chief Justice Dilip B. Bhosale and Justice Suneet Kumar said the approach of the State Advocate General, who argued that the accused MLA could not be arrested due to insufficient evidence, “not only exudes an unpleasant flavour, but raises doubts about the bona fides of the police authorities at the highest level.”

“In our opinion, arrest of the accused in the present case is necessarily required to safeguard the majesty of law and the dignity of the prosecutrix (the minor) and to instill confidence that free and fair investigation shall be undertaken by the Investigating agency,” the court said.

Citing the SIT report on the incidents, the court lambasted the police and doctors, who treated the minor’s father, for tampering with evidence and trying to “create terror and intimidating” the minor and her family.

The court passed the order on a PIL petition filed by senior advocate Gopal S. Chaturvedi, who had raised questions on why the police was yet to arrest the MLA.

Meanwhile, the CBI, which has taken over the probe, questioned Mr. Sengar for several hours on Friday before his arrest.