Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], Apr 13 (NT): Acted in response to the Unnao and Kathua cases, Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Smriti Irani and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Friday assured that strict actions would be taken against the accused in the Unnao gangrape case

“Investigation has been handed over to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). I believe the CBI would have arrested the MLA also. Our government will not compromise on this issue, no matter how influential the accused is, he will not be spared," UP Chief Minister Adityanath told reporters here.

 While Irani said, “Law agencies and government are taking necessary action”.

She also urged that there should be no victim shaming in the rape and murder cases.

"As a woman, I believe and request there should be no victim shaming," Irani told ANI.

This development came a day after a senior BJP leader in Uttar Pradesh claimed that the Chief Minister had been strong-willed to arrest the accused MLA but his decision was suddenly changed after the involvement of a 'prominent person'.

Former state minister IP Singh wrote on Twitter  "Yogi Adityanath had taken the decision to arrest Kuldeep Singh Sengar. He was to be arrested from the Chief Minister's office. The Chief Minister had also decided to expel two MLAs from Unnao. But he got a call from a prominent person and the decision got deferred. The party has to suffer the consequence of this decision."

On April 8, a girl and her family tried to commit suicide outside Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's home in Lucknow. Her family alleged that she was raped by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his associates last year, and no action was taken against the accused.