Former UP Minister’s Son Among Two Arrested In Sexual Assault Case

Two individuals, including the son of a former state minister, have been arrested for allegedly sexually assaulting a 24-year-old woman in the Nai Mandi area of Muzaffarnagar, police said on Saturday. The arrests were made a day after the incident, which reportedly took place on Friday.

The accused have been identified as Aryaman Raghuvanshi (28), son of former Uttar Pradesh minister Sudhir Kumar Baliyan, and Shaurya Gupta (18). According to police officials, the two were riding a scooter and were allegedly under the influence of alcohol at the time of the incident.

Superintendent of Police (City) Amrit Jain said the accused allegedly assaulted the woman in public, prompting swift action after a complaint was filed by the victim’s brother. Authorities reviewed CCTV footage from the area, which helped identify and trace the suspects.

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Based on the complaint, police registered a case under multiple sections of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, including Section 74 (assault or use of criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), Section 79 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), Section 115 (voluntarily causing hurt), and Section 352 (intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace).

Both accused were taken into custody on Saturday, and further investigation into the case is underway. Police officials have indicated that additional evidence is being examined, and statements from witnesses are being recorded to strengthen the case.

Sudhir Kumar Baliyan, the father of one of the accused, is a former Minister of Cooperatives in the Kalyan Singh-led Uttar Pradesh government and has previously served as a two-time BJP MLA from the Khatauli Assembly constituency in Muzaffarnagar. Authorities have not indicated any political angle in the case and maintain that the investigation is proceeding based on evidence.

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