Rape accused BSP MP Atul Rai surrenders in Varanasi court

Newly-elected BSP MP Atul Rai, who had been accused of rape, evaded arrest and surrendered in a Varanasi court on Saturday.

He was sent to a jail on 14 days judicial remand. Rai was accompanied by hundreds of his supporters who shouted slogans in his support.

Rai was contesting the Ghosi Lok Sabha seat and had gone missing from the midst of his campaign after an FIR was lodged against him by a girl student who accused him of sexually assaulting her.

BSP President Mayawati had asked her cadres to continue campaigning for Rai, whom she believed, had been framed by his political rivals. Mayawati also addressed a meeting in support of Rai in Ghosi.

After he was declared elected, Rai did not turn up in Parliament to take oath of office and the police, earlier this week, obtained permission from the court to attach his property.