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Journalism of Courage
The Supreme Court on Tuesday directed the Delhi government to inform it within two weeks if there was any threat perception to the mother and family members of the 2017 Unnao rape survivor.
A bench of Justices Pankaj Mithal and PB Varale was hearing a plea filed by the mother of the rape survivor, alleging grave threat to the life and liberty of herself and her immediate family members.
The top court directed the Delhi government to file an affidavit on the issue within two weeks.
The mother has sought recall of the apex court’s March 25 order which removed CRPF security cover given to her family and other witnesses.
The top court had earlier refused to withdraw the CRPF security cover to the rape survivor, saying there was still a perception of threat, but removed the same security cover given to her family members and other witnesses noting that conviction had already taken place.
“We are of the opinion that protection granted by this court to the concerned persons at the relevant time may not be continued as the case has resulted in conviction who is awarded life imprisonment.
“However we make it clear that the CRPF cover for the survivor shall continue till further orders of this court,” the top court had then said.
The court had said the family members and other witnesses would be at liberty to approach local police if they feel any threat.
A plea seeking the withdrawal of CRPF security cover provided to the family was moved by the Centre following the court’s order in 2019.
Expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar is serving a life term in jail for raping the minor girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao in 2017.
The top court had on August 1, 2019, directed that the rape survivor, her mother, other members of the family and their lawyer be provided security by the CRPF.
All five cases registered in connection with the rape were transferred by the apex court from Lucknow to Delhi with directions to a designated special court to hold daily trials and complete them within 45 days.
The apex court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to provide Rs 25 lakh interim compensation to the survivor.
Sengar’s appeal challenging the trial court’s verdict in the Unnao rape case is pending in the Delhi High Court. He has sought the quashing of the trial court’s December 2019 judgment that sentenced him to imprisonment for the remainder of his life.
On March 13, 2020, Sengar was also sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment in connection with the custodial death of the survivor’s father.
The father was arrested in a case under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018.
The trial court, which did not find the accused guilty of murder, awarded the maximum sentence for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder to the convicts under Section 304 of IPC, holding that there was no intention to kill.
