Bulandshahr gangrape: SC pulls up Azam Khan for 'political conspiracy' remark; issues notice

The Supreme court on Monday issued notice to Uttar Pradesh (UP) Minister and Samajwadi party leader Azam Khan over his controversial statement on Bulandshahr gangrape.

Azam Khan had courted controversy saying the incident could be a 'political conspiracy' since the elections were near, and a desperate opposition can stoop to any level to defame the Akhilesh Yadav government.

The court issued notice to UP government and Azam Khan over plea of victims seeking transfer of the case from the state.

Pulling Uttar Pradesh government, the court said that the statements issued by political leaders like Azam Khan create mistrust in investigation and the entire system, reported ANI.

The court also questioned whether such statements calling rape a conspiracy be called freedom of speech or defeat principles of constitutional compassion.

Azam Khan had made remarks even when the victims' family had threaten to commit suicide, if the police fails to give them justice in the next three months.

A gang of dacoits had brutally raped a woman and her 13-year-old daughter at gunpoint after dragging them out of a car in Bulandshahr on NH-91 when they were travelling with their family from Noida to Shahjahanpur on Friday night.

Uttar Pradesh Police arrested the three accused -- Naresh (25), Bablu (22) and Rais (28) -- and detained a dozen others after launching a massive hunt for the dacoits suspected to be behind the highway crime.