Unnao rape survivor to challenge Sengar’s bail in Supreme Court
text_fields
Unnao: The 2017 Unnao rape case survivor on Wednesday condemned the Delhi High Court’s decision to suspend the jail term of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, calling it “kaal (death)” for her family, and said she would approach the Supreme Court against the order.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday suspended Sengar’s life imprisonment sentence in the rape case and granted him bail pending disposal of his appeal against the December 2019 trial court conviction. The court imposed conditions: Sengar must stay 5 km away from the victim’s residence and must not threaten the survivor or her mother, with automatic bail cancellation if the conditions are violated.
Sengar, however, remains in jail as he is also serving 10 years’ imprisonment in connection with the custodial death of the survivor’s father and has not been granted bail in that case.
The survivor, who was a minor when kidnapped and raped in 2017, said the court’s decision deepened her fears since security for her family, lawyers, and witnesses had already been withdrawn. “If the convict gets bail in a case like this, how will the country’s daughters remain safe? For us, this decision is no less than 'kaal' (death),” she said. She added, “Those with money win, those without money lose.”
The survivor, accompanied by her mother, planned to stage a protest near Mandi House against the verdict and challenged the HC order in the Supreme Court.
Women’s rights activist Yogita Bhayana, who protested with the survivor’s mother at India Gate on Tuesday night, shared a video on X showing the survivor and her mother. In the video, the survivor described being prevented by CRPF personnel from meeting her lawyer and said she was shouting in the vehicle until “the order came from the top” allowing her to meet her lawyer. She added, “All I want is that justice should be done.” Bhayana claimed the survivor was injured during the incident.
The survivor also alleged that her mother was thrown into the middle of the road after being removed from India Gate during the protest. A senior police officer, however, clarified that protesters were removed around 8:45 pm and placed in a CRPF bus, with no further action taken.
The Unnao rape case and related cases were transferred from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi on the Supreme Court’s directions in August 2019.
Meanwhile, Asha Devi, mother of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang rape victim, extended support to the survivor and her family, calling the HC decision “unfortunate” and warning it would send the wrong message to society. Speaking to PTI, she said granting bail to a life convict in a rape case emboldens wrongdoers and weakens faith in the justice system. “How can such a person be released? This will open doors for other rape accused to approach courts for bail,” she said, adding that the decision would adversely impact the safety of women and girls across the country.
Asha Devi also supported the protests against the HC verdict and urged the court to reconsider the order. “The victim’s family wants justice. What has happened is injustice not only to them but to all daughters and women of this country,” she said.
With PTI inputs