Temporary court set up at AIIMS Trauma Centre

New Delhi: The Unnao rape victim's statement was on Wednesday recorded by District Judge Dharmesh Sharma, who set up a temporary courtroom at the AIIMS Trauma Centre here, where the teenager is currently admitted, recovering from her injuries which were inflicted in a car crash that had put her in a critical condition.

The court had earlier ordered that the trial proceedings in the Unnao rape case, where expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar stands accused of raping the then minor girl, would be held "in-camera", meaning that the trial will not be open for the public or the press, in order to protect the victim and certain witnesses in the case.

Both Sengar and his co-accused Shashi Singh were also brought to the temporary courtroom from Tihar Jail, while the rape victim's statement was recorded.

Judge Sharma had ordered on Saturday that the temporary court be set up at the hospital so that the trial can be completed in a speedy manner without interfering with the rape victim's recovery.

The Delhi High Court had on Friday issued a notification from its administrative side, permitting the temporary courtroom to be set up after the trial court judge had indicated his intention to record the victim's statement at the hospital.

This trial pertains to the main rape case against the Bangermau MLA, where it is alleged that in 2017, Singh had taken the then 17-year-old victim to Sengar's home in Unnao, where the then BJP leader had dragged her into his room and raped her. See P6