UP: Rape accused's father ends life, 4 booked for blackmailing

Lucknow, Oct 22 (IANS) Four men have been booked for abetment to suicide after they allegedly harassed the father of a rape accused for money to settle the case, police said.The four accused had allegedly framed a youth in a fake rape case and were demanding Rs 10 lakh from the father to 'settle the case'.The youth was arrested and sent to jail a few days ago.Madhu, the sister of the youth, told reporters, "At around 10 p.m. on Tuesday, Gangaram, Santram, Veerpal and Saurabh came to meet my father Khemai Gautam and offered to settle the case if he paid them Rs 10 lakh. My father was poor and did not have the money. On Wednesday, we found him hanging from a tree with a rope tied around his neck."The Sarojini Nagar police have now booked the four men for abetment to suicide on the basis of Madhu's complaint.Station house officer (SHO), Sarojini Nagar, Mahendra Singh said a case of abetment to suicide has been registered against Gangaram, Santram, Veerpal and Saurabh, and the allegations are being further probed.

--IANS amita/dpb

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