In a shocking development from Kannauj, Uttar Pradesh, the local police arrested Samajwadi Party leader Nawab Singh Yadav early Monday morning, August 12, on charges of attempting to rape a minor girl. This distressing incident has stirred considerable unrest in the community.

Kannauj SP Amit Kumar Anand disclosed details of the arrest during a press briefing. "Last night around 1.30 am, a call was received on UP 112 wherein a girl reported that she had been stripped and an attempt of assault had been made on her," Anand explained. "Kannauj Police reached the spot immediately. The girl was rescued, and accused Nawab Singh Yadav was arrested in an objectionable condition."

Further details revealed that the minor, who is around 15 years old, had accompanied her aunt to the Chaudhary Chandan Singh Mahavidyalaya—a degree college owned by Yadav—to inquire about a job. It was there that the alleged molestation took place. "Nawab Singh Yadav molested the victim and even removed her clothes," SP Anand added. The victim's aunt immediately contacted the police following the incident.

The arrest of Nawab Singh Yadav, who is reportedly a close associate of former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav, followed the filing of an FIR by the victim's family. The incident itself occurred on Sunday, August 11, 2024, in the Kotwali Nagar area of Kannauj, where the college is situated in Adangapur village.

The victim's ordeal began when Nawab Singh allegedly removed her clothes and started molesting her. This heinous act was interrupted when the victim protested loudly, alerting her aunt who was waiting outside. Her aunt immediately contacted the police through Dial 112. Upon arrival, the police found the accused in an objectionable condition and took him into custody. Both the victim and her aunt were then escorted to Kotwali Sadar police station where a formal complaint was lodged. A case was subsequently registered against Nawab Singh Yadav under stringent sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act.

Kannauj Superintendent of Police, Amit Kumar Anand, recounted the events, saying, "Last night around 1.30 am, a call was received on UP 112 wherein a girl reported that she had been stripped, and an attempt of assault had been made on her. Kannauj Police reached the spot immediately. The girl was rescued, and the accused Nawab Singh Yadav was arrested in an objectionable condition." He added that during the questioning, the girl mentioned she had come to the residence of Nawab Singh Yadav with her paternal aunt for a job-related discussion.

Currently, the victim is undergoing medical examination and receiving counseling to help her cope with the trauma. The incident has caused a stir in the community, especially as images of the arrested SP leader with prominent political figures like Akhilesh Yadav and Dimple Yadav have surfaced and gone viral, suggesting his close ties with the top echelons of the Samajwadi Party.

In his defense, Nawab Singh Yadav has denounced the allegations as a political conspiracy aimed at tarnishing his reputation. Following the news of his arrest, numerous supporters, primarily from the Samajwadi Party, have gathered at the police station, voicing their support for Yadav and condemning what they believe to be a politically motivated action.

This case involving Nawab Singh Yadav emerges just days after another disturbing incident involving Samajwadi Party leader Moid Khan and his servant, Raju Khan, who were accused of gangraping a minor girl from the Nishad community in Ayodhya. The locale of this appalling event, a bakery shop owned by Moid Khan, has been demolished with a bulldozer in the aftermath of the allegations. Moid Khan is known to have close ties with Samajwadi MP Awadhesh Prasad from Ayodhya, with numerous photographs of the two circulating in the public domain. Furthermore, Moid Khan actively participated in the campaign for Awadhesh Prasad during the recent Lok Sabha elections.

How did Nawab Singh Yadav come into politics?

Nawab Singh Yadav's journey into the political realm began in his youth, rooted deeply in the local student politics of Kannauj. Born into a Yadav family in the village of Adangapur in Katra, Nawab initially engaged in student elections, either by participating himself or by supporting others to stand for elections.

His formal political career took a significant turn in 1997 when he joined the Samajwadi Party's student wing, Lohia Vahini, and was appointed as the district president within the same year. Nawab's influence and stature grew steadily over the following years, and by 2006, he had firmly established himself as the Kannauj district president of Lohia Vahini.

A pivotal moment in Nawab's political journey occurred in 2000, when Mulayam Singh Yadav, a prominent figure in the Samajwadi Party, chose his son Akhilesh Yadav to contest the Kannauj elections. This election marked Akhilesh's entry into the political landscape, and Nawab played a crucial role as a member of Akhilesh's campaign team, leveraging his position as the district president.

The relationship between Nawab and Akhilesh Yadav deepened as Akhilesh's political career in Kannauj took off, leading to Nawab being elected as the block pramukh from the Kannauj Sadar seat in 2006. However, Nawab's ascent in politics was not without challenges. His "bad days" began in 2007 during Mayawati's government when multiple legal cases were lodged against him, including charges of threat, attempt to murder, and extortion. Despite these serious accusations, Nawab managed to evade severe repercussions, largely due to the continued support from Akhilesh Yadav, highlighting the complex interconnections within political alliances.

A Strategy Was Made to Ensure Dimple's Unopposed Victory

In 2012, a pivotal shift occurred in Uttar Pradesh's political landscape when the Samajwadi Party (SP) ascended to power, and Mulayam Singh Yadav appointed his son, Akhilesh Yadav, as the Chief Minister. This appointment necessitated Akhilesh's resignation from his parliamentary seat in Kannauj, paving the way for his wife, Dimple Yadav, to contest the elections from the same constituency.

Dimple Yadav had previously contested the 2009 elections from the Firozabad seat but was defeated by Raj Babbar of the Congress party. Given this setback, the SP was determined not to repeat such a defeat in Kannauj. To secure a victory, the party entrusted Nawab Singh Yadav with the leadership of Dimple's campaign.

Nawab Singh immediately set to work, orchestrating a strategy aimed at ensuring Dimple's victory without opposition. It is reported that while SP's top leadership was engaged in discussions with the high commands of Congress and the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) to dissuade them from fielding candidates, Nawab Singh was on the ground, persuading potential contenders to withdraw their candidacies.

However, despite these efforts, Prabhat Pandey from Amethi declared his intention to nominate himself for the Kannauj seat. Pandey, along with two supporters, arrived in Kannauj to file his nomination but was ultimately unable to do so. At the time, he claimed to journalists that he was kidnapped from the Kannauj Collectorate, which prevented him from filing his nomination. The ensuing controversy led to an investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which remains ongoing.

As a result of these maneuvers and the withdrawal of other major parties, Dimple Yadav was able to secure her election to the Kannauj seat unopposed, marking a significant victory underpinned by strategic political maneuvering and contentious circumstances.

Got the Title of Mini CM in Kannauj

During Akhilesh Yadav's tenure as Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, Nawab Singh Yadav was popularly referred to as the "mini CM" within the administrative and political realms of Kannauj. His home became a hub where "darbars" were held, and a wide array of issues were addressed and resolved.

Addressing these characterizations in an interview, Nawab stated, "I have come to do politics for the people. People used to come to me with their problems, and I used to solve them. People of the opposition propagated it in a wrong way and questioned our way of working." This response highlighted his perceived role as a mediator and problem-solver in the community, albeit contested by his political adversaries.

However, the political landscape shifted dramatically when Akhilesh Yadav's government was ousted in 2017. This change in administration brought challenging times for Nawab as well, as he faced serious allegations including land grabbing, assault, and corruption. Concurrently, Dimple Yadav also faced defeat in the 2019 elections, resulting in her loss of the MP representative position.

In the subsequent political developments, despite his desire to run in the 2022 assembly elections, Nawab was not granted a ticket by Akhilesh, which led to his withdrawal from active political engagement during that election. Nevertheless, he re-engaged actively in politics when Akhilesh decided to contest from Kannauj in the 2024 elections. Nawab took charge of various campaign aspects, from strategizing to booth management, with hopes that a victory for Akhilesh might herald a return to better days for him.

The recent allegations of molestation against Nawab, however, have cast a shadow over his political resurgence, causing even Akhilesh Yadav to adopt a cautious stance. As of now, Akhilesh has not publicly commented on the situation, reflecting the complex dynamics and the potential repercussions of the accusations on their political alliance.

Samajwadi Party Distances Itself From Nawab Singh Yadav, BJP Accuses It Of Shielding Him

In the wake of Nawab Singh Yadav's arrest, the Samajwadi Party (SP) has taken steps to dissociate itself from the embroiled leader. SP spokesperson Manoj Yadav made clear the party's stance, asserting, "Nawab Singh has nothing to do with the SP. What is surprising is that BJP leaders arrived at the police station to protect him. The investigation will reveal what is truly happening." This statement underlines the SP's effort to distance itself from the controversy and shifts focus onto the actions of BJP representatives at the police station.

Conversely, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has leveled serious accusations against the SP. BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi criticized the SP's handling of its members, claiming, "Nawab Singh Yadav is not just any SP leader; he has been a representative of MP Dimple Yadav. Under SP's policy of 'boys will be boys,' such crimes are consistently covered up. First, it was Ayodhya's Moeed Khan, and now it's Kannauj's Nawab Singh Yadav. This is the true character of the SP." This accusation suggests a pattern of behavior and a protective stance by the SP towards its members, as per the BJP's viewpoint.

These opposing statements from the SP and BJP highlight the political tension and the complexity surrounding Nawab Singh Yadav's legal troubles, reflecting deeper issues within political accountability and inter-party conflicts.