india

Updated: Sep 19, 2019 03:59 IST

A 23-year-old law student who accused Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Chinmayanand of rape alleged on Wednesday that police were delaying the arrest of the former minister and threatened to immolate herself.

Hours later, the special investigation team (SIT) investigating the case said an arrest would only be made with “solid evidence” even as the 72-year-old leader was admitted to a state-run hospital in Uttar Pradesh’s Shahjahanpur for medical treatment.

The woman was speaking to reporters in Prayagraj, where she and her family have moved for legal consultations, and questioned why Chinmayanand was not under arrest. “It seems the SIT wants to save Chinmayanand and the team is looking for something to implicate us.If the government is waiting for me to die, I will sprinkle kerosene on my body and immolate myself.”

But inspector general of police Naveen Arora refuted the allegations and said the SIT would submit a status report of the case in the Allahabad high court on September 23.

The 12-member SIT team is putting up in Shahajahnpur since September 7. “We are closely looking at various aspects of the case. We seeking help from our forensic and legal experts in the matter,” said Arora.

“We are calling all the people concerned to record their statements. We are trying to collate all the evidence, including documentary ones. We are investigating the matter from every angle to ensure there are no shortcomings on our part.”

The officer expressed his displeasure over a so-called media trial and said that they would move to Press Council of India (PCI). “The SIT is only answerable to the court, not media,” said the officer. The SIT chief also urged the public to remain patient. “I will request the public to be patient; give us time; have faith in us and not conduct media trial,” said Arora.

The SIT was formed on the directions of the Supreme Court in the first week of September to investigate the case. The woman made the allegation roughly two weeks ago. The SIT had, on Monday, presented the woman before judicial magistrate Geetika Singh in Shahjahanpur to record her statement. The BJP leader has refuted the charges and claimed it was a political conspiracy.

The developments came on a day Chinmayanand was admitted to the district hospital in Shahjahanpur after complaining of chest pain and fever.

His lawyer Om Singh said, “He has been ill for the last three days. Today he complained of chest pain and high fever.”

A doctor at the hospital said his condition was stable.