Uttar Pradesh: BJP MLA's Assembly Membership at Stake After Rape Conviction

Lucknow- Ramdular Singh Gaur, the current BJP MLA from the Duddhi assembly in Sonbhadra , has been found guilty in a rape case and has been immediately arrested by the police. The sentencing in this case is scheduled for December 15.

The incident occurred in 2014 in Sonbhadra district, where Gaur's wife was the head of a village in the Myorpur police station area. Gaur, having authority in the village, allegedly raped a minor on November 4, 2014. The victim's family filed a complaint, and initially, the case was in the district court. However, after Gaur became an MLA, it was transferred to the MP/MLA court. After a prolonged hearing, the Additional District Judge (First) MP/MLA Court, Ehsan Ullah Khan, found Gaur guilty in the rape case.

Forged age documents of the victim

It is alleged that Gaur attempted to manipulate the situation by creating a fake school certificate for the victim, attempting to avoid charges under the POCSO Act. He allegedly changed the victim's date of birth in the certificate to establish her as an adult. However, the prosecution exposed this deception, and the court took action against the MLA.

In January this year, the court issued an arrest warrant against Gaur for not attending the hearings. The police were ordered to arrest him, and despite seeking permission to be absent citing illness, his requests were rejected. During the subsequent hearing, he was kept standing in court for three hours.

The potential punishment for Gaur under the POCSO Act ranges from life imprisonment to the death penalty. The police had registered a case against him under IPC sections 376 (rape), 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation), and the POCSO Act. If Gaur is sentenced to more than two years in this criminal case, the Supreme Court's 2013 order dictates that his MLA membership will be automatically cancelled. Additionally, the Code of Conduct or Privileges Committee may also revoke his membership under special rules.

Story Translated by Geetha Sunil Pillai