Rape case: Rajasthan CM seeks arrest of former DIG

Facing pressure from the media and other political parties, the Rajasthan government on Wednesday asked a special wing of the police to trace and arrest a former Indian Police Service officer, who is absconding after being accused of raping a tribal woman 13 years ago.

Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot told reporters in Jaipur that this was a 'serious incident' and the Special Operations Group of the state police has been asked to arrest former DIG Madhukar Tandon for allegedly raping the woman in 1997.

"We have directed the SOG to arrest the accused and hope the victim will get justice," Gehlot said, adding "there is a trial in the court and the accused is absconding".

He said the issue of the rape victim waiting for justice for 13 years was 'very serious' and the government was trying to arrest the accused. Home Minister Shanti Dhariwal said the government would also probe into how Tandon had evaded the clutches of law.

"This is a serious matter. The accused has not been arrested since 1997. Those who had information about him, why didn't they do anything? We will go into the matter," Dhariwal said.

The woman was allegedly abducted to Noida in Uttar Pradesh in January 1997 and raped there by the former IPS officer.