UP: Amit Jani, 2 Congress leaders booked for ‘cheating’ rape victims’ family

Lucknow | Updated: 26 November, 2022 11:26 pm IST

Controversial UP leader Amit Jani and two Congress honchos have been booked on the charge of cheating after cheques given by them to the family of two Dalit sisters who were raped and murdered in Lakhimpur Kheri, were turned down.

Many political figures had visited the family and extended them financial help after the sisters were found hanging from a tree in a village. Some of them had given cheques to the aggrieved family.

According to a complaint filed by the deceased sisters’ brother, the cheque provided by leaders YK Sharma and Virendra Kumar on behalf of the Congress party was returned uncashed by the bank due to a signature mismatch.

Similarly, the cheque of Rs 1 lakh provided by Jani, who is known for hammering down a statue of former CM Mayawati and presenting ornaments to temple of CM Yogi Adityanath, was dishonoured by the bank due to insufficient funds in his account.

The FIR has been registered against the three leaders under section 415 (cheating) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section 138 of The Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881 (dishonour of cheque for insufficiency, etc., of funds in account) based on the complaint filed by the victims’ brother.

Superintendent of police Arun Kumar Singh said: “We have registered an FIR against the three persons following the complaint under section 138 of the NI Act along with a case of cheating.”

In the party’s defence, district Congress president Prahalad Patel said that if cheques are returned because of signature mismatch, the party will directly transfer the fund into account of the family. “Some people are escalating a small mistake,” he added.

The state government also announced financial help for the bereaved family, but only half of the promises have been fulfilled, the family said.

The victims’ brother said, “The government had promised to give us Rs 25 lakh, 1 acre of land, government job to a family member and a residence. We have received only Rs 17 lakh till now.”

In September, the bodies of the two sisters were discovered hanging from a tree in a sugarcane field within the Nighasan police station limits. Within a fortnight, the Kheri police had arrested six suspects and filed a charge sheet. The case is being heard in a special POCSO court.

 

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