Former Rashtriya Janata Dal member Raj Ballabh Yadav on Friday was sentenced to life imprisonment for raping a teenager in Bihar in February 2016. Two more accused were also given life terms, while three others were sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
Yadav is still an MLA from Bihar’s Nawada district but stands to lose membership as he has been convicted. He was convicted on December 15. On Friday, Special MP-MLA court judge-cum-additional district and sessions judge Parshuram Singh Yadav sentenced the legislator under sections 376 (rape) and 120(B) (criminal conspiracy) of the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, the Hindustan Times reported.
The other two sentenced to life in prison were convicted of criminal conspiracy and trafficking and fined Rs 20,000 each, while Yadav was fined Rs 50,000. The other accused were fined Rs 10,000.
The Rashtriya Janata Dal had suspended Yadav in February 2016, while the police had seized his property. His property was seized after he had evaded arrest for weeks.
In her complaint, the girl had said that Yadav raped her on February 6, 2016, after a woman abducted her. She had identified Yadav’s home as the scene of crime, but said his supporters prevented a police team from collecting evidence from the house. The girl had also said that she was given Rs 30,000 to not report the incident to the police.
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