Rape victim releases video, says BSP leader threatening her from jail

A woman here has alleged that a BSP leader accused of rape by her sent out threats from prison that she would meet the fate of the Unnao rape victim.

The former student at a Varanasi college had in May lodged an FIR against Atul Rai, who is in jail and yet to take oath as a Bahujan Samaj Party MP after being elected from Uttar Pradesh's Ghosi constituency in the last Lok Sabha elections.

In a video clip which recently surfaced on social media, the woman is heard saying that she, her family members and a witness are being continuously threatened.

Her phones are being tapped and a fake case registered against the witness, she purportedly said.

The woman is being allegedly threatened that when Rai comes out of jail she will meet the same fate as the Unnao rape victim.

The Unnao woman is still in hospital after meeting with an accident, allegedly at the behest of expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar against whom she had lodged a rape case.

Additional Superintendent of Police Sanjay Yadav said the police have taken note of the video and are investigating.

"The security of the victim is the responsibility of the police, for which the concerned police station has been directed to make necessary arrangements and a police team has been deployed for it," Yadav told reporters.

The woman had lodged a rape case against Atul Rai in Varanasi on May 1, alleging that he had called her home to meet his wife and then raped and sexually exploited her.

He had made threats to her life, she had then alleged.

Rai was the BSP candidate from Ghosi parliamentary seat, which he later won, when the case was registered.

He surrendered before the court on June 22 and was sent to Varanasi jail.

In her video, the victim is heard seeking justice from Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi.