Rape-accused BSP MP surrenders in court

Varanasi (UP): Newly elected Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MP Atul Rai, who has been accused of rape, surrendered in a court here on Saturday.

The judicial magistrate (first) remanded Rai in 14-day judicial custody.

An FIR was registered against Rai on May 1 on a complaint by a college student who had alleged that he took her home on the pretext of meeting his wife but sexually assaulted her.

Rai, who has denied the rape allegations, had been on the run since the lodging of the FIR.

The parliamentarian from the Ghosi constituency in Uttar Pradesh was declared absconder by the local court.

The Supreme Court had on May 27 refused to grant Rai protection from arrest in the rape case while noting that 16 other criminal cases were pending against him.