Women groups protest outside UP Bhawan against arrest of Shahjahanpur student

Several women groups on Wednesday staged a protest outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhawan here against the arrest of a law student from Shahjahanpur who had accused former Union minister Swami Chinmayanand of rape.

The law student was on Wednesday arrested on charges of extortion by the Special Investigation Team and sent to 14-day judicial custody.

"How fair it is that a woman is shamed and character assassinated for the crimes committed against her. And it has happened yet again.The infamous case of rape of a student by the owner of the institution, where she should have been provided security against the hawks, has been turned on its head," said Asha Sharma of All India Democratic Women's Association (AIDWA).

"This has reportedly been going on for over a year and the perpetrator of the crime is a man who hides his real character under his robes. But no action has been taken against him. Instead a case is made out against the victim," she said.

Marimoona Mollah, who had mobilised the protest, said the government should no give any political patronage to Chinmayanand.

"This constitutes gross travesty of justice which we, the women's organisations and concerned citizens, are duty-bound to protest against," she said.