Retired IPS officer Amitabh Thakur was on Friday arrested for abetment to suicide after a woman who had set herself fire outside the Supreme Court a few days ago succumbed to her injuries in a hospital in Delhi. A case was registered against Thakur in which the retired IPS official was accused of provoking the woman for taking the extreme step.
A video of Thakur being arrested by the UP police officials has surfaced on social media websites. In the video, Thakur could be seen desperately trying to resist the arrest as police officials shove him inside their vehicle.
#लखनऊ : अमिताभ ठाकुर के गिरफ्तारी का वीडियो। @Amitabhthakur @lkopolice pic.twitter.com/req9KrhFoM
— UttarPradesh.ORG News (@WeUttarPradesh) August 27, 2021
The arrest came hot on the heels of the death of the woman who had self-immolated herself outside the Supreme Court complex earlier this month. The UP Police says it arrested Thakur based on a complaint filed by the deceased victim on November 10, 2020. In her application to SSP Varanasi, the victim had alleged that Amitabh Thakur took money from BSP MP Atul Rai for tampering with the evidence in the case. The Hazratganj police said Thakur was charged with abetment to suicide.
A woman and a man had immolated themselves outside the Supreme Court complex on August 16. The man had sustained 65 per cent burns and had died last Saturday while the woman had suffered 85 per cent burns before succumbing to her injuries on Tuesday this week.
The duo had accused jailed BSP MP Atul Rai of sexual harassment and alleged that several police officers, including Amitabh Thakur, had supported the accused.
It is worth noting that Rai has been in judicial custody in the case for the last two years. Before committing suicide, the woman, along with her colleague, had recorded a Facebook Live Video session, in which they had disclosed their identity and claimed that they had filed a rape case against the BSP MP in 2019.
Thakur was reportedly kept under house arrest earlier this month
Significantly, Thakur had earlier accused the UP Police of keeping him under house arrest. In a video released on social media websites, Thakur said when he was preparing to leave, the Gomti Nagar police arrived and told him that he can’t go ahead with the planned visit citing security reasons.
Former IPS Amitabh Thakur on his house arrest ahead of his Gorakhpur visit. Says a strange reason was given to him by police which cited the immolation of couple outside SC lead to anguish in a section of society against him. pic.twitter.com/LJ0eaCRf3B
— Piyush Rai (@Benarasiyaa) August 21, 2021
The former IPS officer had asserted that the police didn’t let him go even when he asked them to provide him security instead of cancelling the visit.
Before his arrest, Amitabh Thakur had announced floating a new political party to fight against Yogi Adityanath
Interestingly, as UP assembly elections approach, Thakur had earlier today announced that he will float a new political party soon. “After consulting my supporters and well-wishers, I have decided to float a new political party,” Thakur said.
He named his new political party Adhikar Sena and asked his supporters to suggest more names, along with the purpose, mission and structure of the party.
The Yogi Adityanath government had issued a directive for Thakur’s premature retirement on March 23 this year, stating that he was “not found fit to be retained for the remaining tenure of his service”.
Thakur’s wife Nutan Thakur had also recently announced that her husband would be fighting the forthcoming UP assembly elections against CM Yogi Adityanath.
“Yogi Adityanath has presided over several undemocratic, improper, suppressive, harassing and discriminatory steps during his tenure as chief minister. Hence, Amitabh shall be contesting the election against Adityanath from wherever he contests,” she had said.
Amitabh Thakur is a B-Tech graduate, an IIM Lucknow pass out and an IPS officer of the 1992 batch. An officer of Uttar Pradesh cadre, Thakur would have retired in 2028, but his service was cut short in 2015, days after he accused the Samajwadi patriarch Mulayam Singh Yadav of threatening him. A vigilance inquiry was also initiated against him.
But the Lucknow Bench of the Central Administrative Tribunal stayed his suspension in April 2016 and ordered his reinstatement with full salary with effect from October 11, 2015.
