AIDWA slams Yogi Adityanath govt over arrest of student who accused Chinmayanand of rape

A Left affiliated women's organisation on Thursday slammed the Yogi Adityanath government over the arrest of the student who had accused former Union minister Swami Chinmayanand of rape and alleged that the SIT probing the case was working at the behest of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister.

The law student was on Wednesday arrested on charges of extortion and sent to 14-day judicial custody. Hours later, her bail plea was rejected.

"All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA) strongly condemns the force arrest and harassment of the victim in the Chinmayanand case and demands immediate withdrawal of the alleged extortion case lodged against her.

"It condemns the role played by the SIT and Uttar Pradesh Police under pressure from the Yogi Government," the women's rights group said.

It also said that while the rape case against Chinmayanand was filed on August 27, 2019 the accused was arrested only after 14 days after a public outcry.

"The sections under which Chinmayanand has been arrested have also been diluted. Despite the statement of the victim under Section 164 no medical examination was done.

"AIDWA demands immediate stoppage of harassment and persecution of the victim and the accused be charged for Rape under Section 376. AIDWA also demands full protection to be given to the victim and her family," it said.

Chinmayanand, sent to judicial custody after his arrest, was booked under section 376C of the IPC, a charge with lesser punishment than rape.