UP: Ex-BJP Leader Arrested For Child Sex Abuse Also Operated Betting Rackets

The 65-year-old leader was arrested on January 13 on the complaint of two minor children who accused him of sexually exploiting them.

Outlook Web Bureau

Updated on: 18 January 2021 4:33 pm

Former BJP office-bearer Ram Bihari Rathore was found to be involved in a slew of criminal and anti-social activities, after being arrested on charges of child sex abuse last week, a senior police official said on Monday. Rathore had been conducting underhanded operations for the last six-seven years, they said.

Rathore also furtively ran a betting racket from his house in Konch police area of Jalaun district in Uttar Pradesh, officials said.

Investigators are collecting evidence against him and may further summon police personnel who had been posted in the vicinity in the past few years to gather more information.

Konch police station SHO Imran Khan said all aspects are being looked into and necessary evidence are being collected so as to invoke the stringent National Security Act (NSA) against Rathore.

Under the NSA, a person can be detained without charge for up to 12 months if authorities are satisfied that he or she is a threat to national security or law and order.

Three cases have been registered against Rathore so far. The 65-year-old leader was arrested on January 13 on the complaint of two minor children who accused him of sexually exploiting them.

Another minor boy lodged a complaint alleging that he was being sexually assaulted by Rathore since 2014. On the basis of the complaint, another FIR was lodged against Rathore on Friday evening. A day after, the third FIR was lodged on the complaint of another minor boy.

Some other boys have also come forward alleging that they were sexually assaulted by the accused.

Earlier, the police had found 15 to 20 videos on Rathore's laptop, DVD and hard disc in which he is seen sexually exploiting children. Nine more victims -- seven minors and two women -- were identified on the basis of these videos.

The SHO had earlier said Rathore would lure young children by giving them money and made their obscene videos which he used to blackmail them.

Meanwhile, district BJP president Ramendra Singh said the party was trying to ascertain how Rathore was appointed as the Konch unit vice president.

Rathore was expelled from the primary membership of the party soon after his arrest, Ramendra Singh said.

Now the senior leadership is trying to ascertain why or on whose recommendation he was appointed as the vice president of the Konch unit, he said.

With PTI inputs