Did Akhilesh Yadav jump over gate to escape when journalists asked him about Kannauj rape case? Fact Check

A video is making the rounds on social media depicting Samajwadi Party (SP) Chief Akhilesh Yadav jumping over a gate, while many journalists were seen following him. The claim said when journalists asked the SP chief about SP leader Nawab Singh Yadav’s alleged involvement in the Kannauj sexual assault case, Akhilesh Yadav climbed over the gate and ran away.

Yesterday, after the DNA test confirmed that leader Nabab Singh Yadav had raped a minor girl, reporters from various channels surrounded #AkhileshYadav When he was unable to answer, he was forced to jump from the gate and run away!!”
He wants to be PM in rotation with RG. 🤠🤠 pic.twitter.com/cnxyuxiEGE

— SanatanMaverick (@SanatanMaverick) September 9, 2024

The context cited in the claim is that former SP leader Nawab Singh Yadav had been arrested under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, and sent to 14-day judicial custody in the case in Kannau, which is the constituency of Akhilesh Yadav.

The claim reads, “Yesterday, after the DNA test confirmed that leader Nabab Singh Yadav had raped a minor girl, reporters from various channels surrounded #AkhileshYadav When he was unable to answer, he was forced to jump from the gate and run away!! He wants to be PM in rotation with RG.” It was posted on Sept. 9, 2024. The claim can be accessed here and here.

FACT CHECK

When Digiteye India checked for the original video clip using keyframes, the results on Google Reverse Image Search showed links to the video that was widely shared a year ago in 2023. The incident occurred when Akhilesh Yadav jumped over the JP Narayan Interpretation Centre gate in Lucknow to garland the statue of veteran leader Jayaprakash Narayan (JP) on his birth anniversary in Lucknow, Uttar Pradesh.

#WATCH | Lucknow: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav climbs over the boundary of Jai Prakash Narayan International Centre (JPNIC) to pay floral tribute to Loknayak Jayaprakash Narayan on his birth anniversary after LDA denied him permission. pic.twitter.com/SOphelOJpY

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) October 11, 2023

The above ANI video confirms that Akhilesh Yadav had to do it when denied permission from the Lucknow Development Authority (LDA) to garland the statue of JP. The Samajwadi Party’s official account on Twitter shared the video clip confirming the incident on Oct. 11, 2023.

समाजवादी पार्टी राजनैतिक दल नहीं है केवल, समाजवादी पार्टी एक आंदोलन है, आंधी है। pic.twitter.com/c1lZak37s2

— Samajwadi Party (@samajwadiparty) October 11, 2023

The caption in Hindi, when translated reads: “Samajwadi Party is not only a political party, Samajwadi Party is a movement, a storm. Akhilesh Yadav himself shared the video later as seen below:

जब लोकतंत्र में लोकनायक के माल्यार्पण के लिए बाधाएँ खड़ी की जाएं तो लोकतंत्र किस काम का।

भाजपा, सपा का रास्ता नहीं रोक सकती। pic.twitter.com/5PgNg1uubc

— Akhilesh Yadav (@yadavakhilesh) October 11, 2023

The caption in Hindi, when translated, reads: “What is the use of democracy when obstacles are created in garlanding the popular leader? BJP cannot stop the path of SP.”

Hence, the claim is false.

Claim: SP chief Akhilesh Yadav jumped over gate to escape when journalists asked him about Kannauj rape case.
Conclusion: Misrepresentation. An old and unrelated video has been shared to falsely claim that Akhilesh Yadav jumped over a gate when questioned about the Kannauj rape case.
Rating: Misrepresentation —