CBI takes over Unnao rape survivor accident case

As soon as the proceedings commenced, Opposition members raised the topic in the Lok Sabha and demanded that Union home minister Amit Shah make a statement in the House on it.

Congress floor leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury broached the subject. Parliamentary affairs minister Pralhad Joshi responded that a CBI inquiry was under way and the matter should not be politicised.

BJP's Jagdambika Pal alleged that the truck in the accident belonged a Samajwadi Party leader.

Mr Pal alleged that Indian National Congress was politicising the issue.

Shouting slogans regarding the issue, lawmakers of the Congress, Samajwadi Party, Bahujan Samaj Party and Dravida Munnetra Kazagham trooped into the well of the House.

Amid continued interruptions, Union minister Ram Vilas Paswan sought permission to move The Consumer Protection Bill.

Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla said it was decided that no state matters be discussed in the House.

Members of the Congress, SP, BSP, DMK and All India Trinamool Congress staged a walkout.

Sit-in outside hospital

In the Uttar Pradesh capital, the family members of the rape survivor started a sit-in protest outside King George's Medical University trauma center, where the critically injured victim is battling for life.

They demanded that Kuldeep Sengar be punished as soon as possible and Mahesh Singh (uncle of the survivor) should be released on parole from Rae Bareli jail to attend the cremation of his wife Pushpa, who was killed in the accident. The victim's counsel was also in the car, though her police escorts were not accompanying her.

Mr Mahesh Singh is imprisoned for threatening the BJP legislator's brother.

On Monday, a sessions court had rejected the plea and the application was heard today by the Allahabad High Court.

"FIR has been registered under the Indian Penal Code's Sections 302 (murder), 307 (attempt to murder), 506 (criminal intimidation), 120b (criminal conspiracy) against 10 named persons, including the BJP MLA, and 15-20 others," a police officer said.

CM's promise of action

Chief minister Yogi Adityanath deputed minister of state Swati Singh to meet the family members and assure them of full cooperation from the government. The state government also announced free of cost treatment of the injured.

The case came to light on April 8 last year, when the survivor attempted self-immolation, outside the CM's residence, alleging police inaction.

The survivor's father had also died under mysterious circumstances in police custody in Unnao, after her suicide attempt bid.

Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday demanded a probe by high court judge-led SIT in the matter.

Yadav told reporters, "I have spoken to doctors and they assured best possible treatment. We demand a probe in this entire matter by a SIT, headed by a sitting High Court Judge. The state government is not helping the victim in the way they should as the incident took place due to laxity by the police. The state government stands directly responsible for the incident."

The former chief minister announced that as compensation the SP would give a cheque of Rs 10 lakh to the family of the rape survivor.

A team of the National Commission for Women, led by deputy secretary Jyoti Singhal, met the family members of the rape victim at the hospital and inquired about the accident.

On Sunday, a speeding truck collided with a car in which the rape survivor was traveling along with her lawyer, aunt and aunt's sister in Rae Barelli. In the accident, her aunt and aunt's sister were killed while rape victim and lawyer were stated to be in critical condition.

BJP on back foot

The BJP averred that Unnao MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger had already been suspended after an inquiry by the disciplinary committee last year.

"Opposition parties are not aware of the fact that a disciplinary action was taken against Sengar last year itself. He was issued a notice by the disciplinary committee and was later suspended from the party," BJP spokesman Rakesh Tripathi told reporters.

“We had not issued any press release then, but I am officially stating this now when you have asked me,” he said.

The woman had filed an FIR against Unnao BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and others for gang raping her two years ago. The victim's father died in 2018 in police custody.

Mr Tripathi stated that strict action would be taken against the BJP MLA if he is found guilty. "I want to make it clear that no undue favour will be granted to anyone in the regime of BJP. If anyone is found guilty, strict action will be taken. The case is sub-judice and everyone wants to know the truth," he said.

The UP Congress held a demonstration in the state capital on Tuesday, and many of its cadre, including women, were taken in custody when they marched towards the BJP office. Police had to use mild force to restrict them, sources said.

All India Congress Committee general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra posted a picture on social media of Sengar with CM Adityanath, and asked why the BJP didn't expel the MLA despite being booked in sexual assault case. She tweeted, "What is the BJP waiting for? Why has this man not been expelled from their party even when his name is in the latest FIR in the Unnao rape case?"

Apprehensions

Apprehending threat to their lives, the family members of the Unnao rape victim had written to CJI Ranjan Gogoi and Chief Justice of Allahabad High Court Govind Mathur and several higher-ups in the state government seeking action "those who were threatening them".

The letter, sent to the CJI on July 12 signed by the rape victim, her mother and aunt. It alleged that Manoj Singh, brother of Sengar, had come to their house along with his henchmen on July 7 and threatened them with dire consequences if they did not withdraw the rape charges against the MLA.

On the next day, they again came with other persons, including Haripal Singh, one of the accused in the rape case and threatened that if they don't withdraw the charges then the entire family would be implicated like they have done in the case of Mahesh Singh, the uncle of the rape victim, the letter stated.

Made available to the media on Tuesday, the letter also says that video clippings of the threat given by the associates of the MLA have been attached.

Image credit: UNI