Unnao gangrape case: HC slams UP govt over delay in MLA’s arrest; FIR registered finally

READ | FIR registered against BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, CBI to investigate

… When we say Beti Bachao, we really mean that. We are here to safeguard the interests of our daughters and we are committed to their safety. As far as Unnao incident is concerned, the law of justice will prevail,” Culture Minister Mahesh Sharma said. The minister further said that  whosoever is found responsible for the incident, irrespective of his stature, will be punished.

Women and Child Development Minister Maneka Gandhi said action should be taken in every such case against women. “This is distressing and justice will be done. The case has been given to CBI and law will take its course,” she said.

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

Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal also backed the Yogi government, saying it is working day and night to maintain law and order in the state. “The state government will bring to book all the culprits in the state,” he said.

READ | Vidhayak ke bhai ne maara, police khadi rahi: Unnao rape victim’s father in video before death

The UP government decided to hand over the cases to the CBI after the Special Investigation Team (SIT) 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.

Apart from the SIT report submitted by Lucknow ADG Rajeev Krishna, the government received two other enquiry reports from DIG (prison) Love Kumar on the role of Unnao jail administration in handling the victim’s father and a separate report from Unnao district magistrate on the lapses on part of the government hospital.

The government also suspended two doctors – DK Dwivedi and Prashant Upadhyay – and initiated disciplinary proceedings against three of them – Dr Manoj Kumar, Dr G P Sachan and Dr Gaurav Agrawal – for laxity in giving proper medical care and treatment to the victim’s father prior to judicial custody and at the district hospital.

READ | DM has confined me to a room, says victim; MLA’s wife alleges case politically motivated

The Allahabad High Court also came down heavily on the Yogi government, asking it whether it proposes to arrest the accused BJP MLA.

A bench of Chief Justice D B Bhosale and Justice Suneet Kumar, taking cognisance of the gangrape case on a letter to the court by senior lawyer Gopal Swaroop Chaturvedi, heard the matter in detail and will pronounce its order tomorrow. The court also questioned the conduct of the police in the case, saying whom will a victim approach to register a complaint.

READ | Will you arrest rape accused BJP MLA, Allahabad High Court asks UP government 

Yesterday, BJP lawmaker Surendra Singh had also defended Sengar, saying “it was impossible to rape a mother of three children” and that a conspiracy was being hatched against the Bangarmau MLA.

“I am speaking from psychological point of view, no one can rape a mother of 3 children. It is not possible, this is a conspiracy against him(Kuldeep Sengar). Yes, maybe her father was thrashed by some people but I refuse to believe rape charge,” Singh, who is BJP MLA from Bairia, was quoted as saying by ANI.

READ | Impossible to rape mother of three children, says BJP MLA in defence of Kuldeep Sengar

Yesterday, the Congress Party had targeted the ruling BJP over the incident, saying that ‘justice for women in BJP ruled states has become a mirage because BJP’s eco-system is influencing the legal process by building a false narrative’.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi also took a swipe at  the prime minister’s hunger strike over the non-functioning of Parliament and wondered if Narendra Modi would observe a fast on the Unnao rape case which, he said, ” has shamed humanity”.

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

“The barbarism inflicted on a father seeking justice for his daughter in Uttar Pradesh has shamed humanity. Hope the prime minister will soon observe a fast over atrocities against women, failed law and order and increasing anarchy under the BJP’s watch,” Gandhi said on Twitter.

(With PTI inputs)

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