Unnao case: Rape allegations against Kuldeep Sengar true, CBI tells court
New Delhi: Continuing with the day-to-day hearing of the Unnao cases, the CBI told a Delhi court on Wednesday that allegations of rape levelled against the expelled BJP MLA, Kuldeep Singh Sengar are true.
The Central Bureau of Investigation said the investigation in the case has revealed that Sengar had, in fact, conspired with his co-accused Shashi Singh and then raped the Unnao teenager on June 4, 2017, at his home.
The victim had told the central probe agency that Singh had taken her to Sengar's home in Unnao through the backdoor under the pretext of arranging a meeting with the legislator. She had said that Sengar, had then taken her into his room and raped her.
The CBI lawyer told judge Dharmesh Sharma that based on the agency's investigation and the statements of the victim and her mother recorded under Sections 161 and 164 of the CrPC, it had filed a chargehseet in the case against Sengar and Singh.
The court also ordered that the media show restraint when it came to reporting merits of the case and arguments and depositions of the witnesses and others in the case. It has asked the media to refrain from revealing names and addresses of the victim, her family, and other witnesses.
This came as the prosecution asked for the court to direct the media to exercise restraint while reporting the victim's name or the names of her family members and witness testimonies; whereas Sengar's defense counsel asked for a complete gag order to restrict the media from reporting developments in the case. Sengar was produced in court on Wednesday as well.
Earlier, the court here had expressed concern over the security being provided to the victim and witnesses in the case. It had sought a report from the CBI in this regard, also asking for the agency to make clear what kind of boarding and lodging arrangements had been made for visiting family members of the victim, who was airlifted to AIIMS here from Lucknow two days ago.
A Supreme Court-bench had ordered that the rape victim and her lawyer, both of whom were critically injured in a suspicious road accident, be airlifted to the Capital after the 19-year-old woman's mother had approached the Apex court.
A car in which the Unnao rape survivor, her family and lawyer were travelling was hit by an over-speeding truck in Raebareli last month, killing two members, leaving her and the advocate critically injured. The truck's number plates were blackened.
Taking suo moto cognizance of the accident, the Apex court had directed the CBI to finish its probe in the accident case and file a chargehseet by August 14. In the same ruling, it also transferred the four other Unnao cases to a Delhi court for trial.
Meanwhile, the CBI has poured in extensive resources to finish its probe with regards to the accident, having collected forensic evidence, questioned the truck driver and cleaner, and interrogated Sengar in Sitapur jail. The probe team has also collected visitor logs from the jail where Sengar was lodged to check who the MLA met in the days before the accident.
