AAP burns effigy of rape accused Gurgaon legislator

AAP activists on Saturday took out a protest march and burnt an effigy of Gurgaon's BJP legislator Umesh Aggarwal, demanding his arrest and resignation after a Delhi court framed rape charges against him.

Aggarwal, Sandeep Luthra and Rekha Rani are accused of the rape of a woman from Tilak Nagar in January.

A trial court in Delhi has charged Aggarwal and Luthra with drugging the woman in a Faridabad hotel and raping her, while Rekha Rani has been charged with abetting the crime.

The 25-year-old woman alleged that she was raped during a Bharatiya Janata Party event in Faridabad at which the party's national leaders were present.

The Aam Aadmi Party activists on Saturday alleged that Delhi Police was working at the behest of the BJP-led central government and not arresting Aggarwal even after the court framed charges against him.

They also shouted slogans against Haryana Chief Minister Manohar Lal Khattar over his silence in the matter.

"Some of our MLAs are behind bars in Delhi, even when the court did not frame any charges, but BJP legislator Aggarwal is roaming free in BJP-ruled Haryana. This is double standard," the AAP said in a statement.

The protesters gathered near Atul Kataria Chowk and marched towards the office of Aggarwal on Mata Road shouting slogans.

They burnt the effigy close to the legislator's office, as they were stopped by police a few metres away.