LUCKNOW, Jan. 30 -- Amid pressure mounting for arrest, a Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court on Wednesday turned down the petition for anticipatory bail sought by Indian National Congress (INC) MP from Sitapur, Rakesh Rathore, who is accused of raping a 45-year-old woman for the past four years by promising to marry her and build her political career, confirmed senior prosecutions officials. They said the high court has directed the INC MP to surrender in the Sitapur district and sessions court within two weeks' time.

The police, however, have intensified their search to arrest the accused MP and carried out searches at his hideouts in Sitapur, Lucknow and other cities. Rathore was elected as MP after he won the Lok Sabha 2024 elec...