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2017 Unnao rape case victim meets Rahul Gandhi, seeks legal aid amid outrage over Sengar bail

"Put us in prison, at least we will be safe there," the survivor told mediapersons after the meeting with Lok Sabha LoP Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi.

Activist Yogita Bhayana stages a dharna with the family of the Unnao gang rape victim. (PTI Photo)Activist Yogita Bhayana stages a dharna with the family of the Unnao gang rape victim. (PTI Photo)

A day after the Delhi High Court suspended the life sentence of former BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape of a minor, the survivor Wednesday met Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi and Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, seeking their assistance in her fight against Sengar.

It is learnt that the survivor and her family have requested aid of a top lawyer to fight against Sengar in the Supreme Court and to relocate to a Congress-ruled state as they feared for their lives.

While suspending the sentence of Sengar, the High Court ruled that his former status as an MLA does not bring him under the ambit of a ‘public servant’ as defined under the IPC. Sengar was sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2019 by a Delhi trial court after finding him guilty under Section 376 (2) (rape) of the IPC and Sections 5(c) & 6 of the POCSO Act for raping a minor. The case was probed and prosecuted by the CBI.

It is learnt that in the meeting with Rahul Gandhi, where Sonia Gandhi too was present, the survivor was given an assurance of her request for top legal aid and relocation to a Congress-ruled state. Sources said the survivor also sought a better job for her husband which, Rahul said, would be considered.

Hours after the verdict Tuesday, the survivor and her mother had protested outside India Gate but were removed by security personnel. Rahul also took to social media Wednesday, reposting a video of their removal from the site and stating, “The fact that her perpetrator (former BJP MLA) has been granted bail is extremely disappointing and shameful – especially when the survivor… is living under the shadow of fear… Bail for rapists and treating survivors like criminals – what kind of justice is this?”

The survivor’s sister, speaking to mediapersons, expressed disappointment with the verdict. “He had killed my uncle, my father…woh bahar toh aa gaye hai lekin hum logon ke upar khatra mandra raha hai, kya pata woh bahar aane ke baad mere poore parivar ko khatam kar de. Unko bahar nikal diya hai toh hum logon ko jail ke andar daal de, kam se kam humari jaan toh surakshit rahegi (He has been released but the threat hovers over us and our family. Who knows he will erase our entire family once he is out. If he is being let out, put us in prison, at least we will be safe there). My sister is grieving. If something happens to us, will the court take responsibility? If so, then it’s okay. We have small children, our brother. His men continue to threaten us.”

The suspension of Sengar’s sentence comes pending a final decision on the appeal against his life sentence.

Sengar, who is currently in jail, will not be out until a similar order suspending his sentence in the case of custodial killing of the minor’s father is issued by the Delhi High Court. He was sentenced to 10 years in prison for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in March 2020. He has an appeal pending before the Delhi High Court in this case as well.

 

Asad Rehman is with the national bureau of The Indian Express and covers politics and policy focusing on religious minorities in India. A journalist for over eight years, Rehman moved to this role after covering Uttar Pradesh for five years for The Indian Express. During his time in Uttar Pradesh, he covered politics, crime, health, and human rights among other issues. He did extensive ground reports and covered the protests against the new citizenship law during which many were killed in the state. During the Covid pandemic, he did extensive ground reporting on the migration of workers from the metropolitan cities to villages in Uttar Pradesh. He has also covered some landmark litigations, including the Babri Masjid-Ram temple case and the ongoing Gyanvapi-Kashi Vishwanath temple dispute. Prior to that, he worked on The Indian Express national desk for three years where he was a copy editor. Rehman studied at La Martiniere, Lucknow and then went on to do a bachelor's degree in History from Ramjas College, Delhi University. He also has a Masters degree from the AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia. ... Read More

Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court Professional Profile Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express. Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare). Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others. She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020. With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles: High-Profile Case Coverage She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots. She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy. Signature Style Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More

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