Unnao rape case: BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar detained by CBI

BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger has also been booked by the UP Police on various charges under the IPC, including rape, kidnapping and criminal intimidation, in connection with the alleged rape of the 17-year-old girl.

By: Express Web Desk

New Delhi | Updated: April 13, 2018 07:06 AM IST

4 min read

Unnao Rape Case: ‘MLA’s aides warned villagers not to give statements against him’

Kuldeep Singh Sengar at Lucknow SSP office on Wednesday. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastav)

BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the accused in the alleged rape of a 17-year-old girl in Unnao, was detained by CBI on Friday. The development comes a day after the Uttar Pradesh government handed over the cases of alleged rape and subsequent death of her father in judicial custody to the CBI.

On Thursday, an FIR was filed against Kuldeep Singh Sengar and he was subsequently booked by the UP Police on various charges under the IPC, including rape, kidnapping and criminal intimidation. The case was handed over to CBI after the Special Investigation Team submitted its report on Wednesday evening. The SIT also submitted a video that purportedly shows the girl’s father saying he was assaulted by Sengar’s brother Atul in the presence of police. On Tuesday, Sengar’s brother Atul was the fifth person arrested in connection with the brutal assault on the girl’s father that led to his death the day before.

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Earlier on Thursday, the Allahabad High Court questioned the Uttar Pradesh government over the delay in Sengar’s arrest. The court was hearing a PIL seeking its intervention in the case. A bench of Chief Justice D B Bhosale and Justice Suneet Kumar later reserved its decision until Friday after hearing the PIL. The Supreme Court will take up the matter next week.

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Uttar Pradesh police chief O P Singh said the CBI would decide on the action against MLA on the basis of evidence. He was responding to a question regarding delay in Sengar’s arrest despite an FIR against him under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. Singh said the SIT would collect evidence until the CBI took over the probe.

BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar along with his associates clash with media outside SSP office in Lucknow. (Express photo by Vishal Srivastav)

In Lucknow, Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar said the SIT officials recorded a statement of the victim, her mother and other family members. “On the basis of their statement, an FIR has been lodged against the MLA and a woman on rape and other charges. Statements of the MLA’s associates too were recorded,” Kumar said.

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Unnao district hospital’s Chief Medical Superintendent D K Dwivedi, Emergency Medical officer and Dr Prashant Upadhyay had been suspended over alleged inaction in the case.

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Kumar said disciplinary proceedings have been initiated against orthopaedic surgeon Manoj Kumar, surgeon GP Sachan and another medical officer Gaurav Agarwal for laxity in giving proper medical care and treatment before the girl’s father was sent to jail and later referred to the hospital. He said Safipur’s Circle Officer Kunwar Bahadur Singh had been suspended for negligence in handling the repeated rape complaints.

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The alleged rape case came into the limelight after the victim tried to immolate herself outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence on Sunday after alleging police inaction against the BJP MLA.

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