January 30, 2025: In a shocking turn of events, Congress MP Rakesh Rathore from Sitapur was arrested on January 30, 2025, amidst allegations of raping a 45-year-old woman over a period of four years. The woman claims Rathore promised to marry her and help advance her political career, only to exploit her trust. The arrest occurred while Rathore was addressing the media at his residence.

Rathore, who won the 2024 Lok Sabha elections by a substantial margin of 90,000 votes against BJP’s Rajesh Verma, has been at the center of a criminal investigation since January 17, 2025, when an FIR was filed against him. The charges include rape, criminal intimidation, and threats with a firearm, registered at Sitapur's City Kotwali police station.

The Congress MP had been evading arrest for nearly two weeks, despite multiple searches in Sitapur, Lucknow, and other cities. Police had issued a notice to Rathore on January 21, but he failed to respond. On January 28, the Allahabad High Court rejected his petition, urging him to surrender before the Sitapur district court within two weeks. Rathore's anticipatory bail application was also denied on January 23.

In a dramatic twist, Rathore was arrested while holding a press briefing at his residence. Sitapur’s Superintendent of Police Chakresh Mishra confirmed that the lawmaker was taken to the City Kotwali police station for further legal proceedings and will be presented before the court shortly.

Rathore’s defense team argued that the case was delayed by four years, but the prosecution opposed this claim, with Additional Advocate General Vinod Kumar Shahi emphasizing that immediate relief should not be granted. The court’s decision to reject Rathore’s petition signals the seriousness of the charges against him.

Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee President, Ajay Rai, has called for a judicial inquiry into the matter, urging a thorough investigation into the accusations.

As the legal proceedings unfold, all eyes will be on the developments in this high-profile case.