"Have Faith In Top Court": Unnao Rape Survivor Over Bail To Kuldeep Sengar
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear pleas challenging the high court's order tomorrow, offering a glimmer of hope to the survivor and her supporters amid fears for their safety.
· www.ndtv.comNew Delhi:
The 2017 Unnao rape case has resurfaced in national headlines following the Delhi High Court's decision to suspend the life sentence of convicted former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, sparking a third protest by the survivor and elderly mother in the national capital with demands for justice.
The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear pleas challenging the high court's order tomorrow, offering a glimmer of hope to the survivor and her supporters amid fears for their safety.
Sengar, expelled from the BJP after his conviction, was sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2019 for raping a minor in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, in June 2017. A separate 10-year sentence for the custodial death of the survivor's father keeps him incarcerated for now.
On December 23 this year, a Delhi High Court bench suspended his life term pending his appeal, noting he had already served over seven years in prison. The court imposed strict conditions, including a Rs 15 lakh personal bond, a ban on his presence within 5 km of the survivor's Delhi residence. He has also been asked not to threaten her or her family.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) swiftly challenged the order, filing a special leave petition on December 26. A separate plea by advocates Anjale Patel and Pooja Shilpkar also contests the suspension. A three-judge Supreme Court bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and including Justices JK Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, will hear both matters tomorrow.
Student activists from groups like the All India Students' Association (AISA), All India Progressive Women's Association (AIPWA), and Jawaharlal Nehru University students joined the survivor and her family.
Banners at Jantar Mantar read: "Stand In Solidarity With The Protesting Survivor of Unnao!", "Demand an End To Rape Culture!", and "Revoke bail of rapist BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar!"
Meanwhile, a brief confrontation occurred at Jantar Mantar when a group led by a woman supporting Sengar clashed with protesters, but police intervened to maintain order. A woman with a saffron dupatta around her neck holding a banner that read "I support Kuldeep Sengar" said she believes in the Delhi High Court decision and that rape convict Sengar "deserves" bail.
The survivor, amid the protesting crowd, said: "I have faith in the Supreme Court that it will give me justice. I am raising the voice of every woman... Had CBI done this before, I would have got justice. His (Kuldeep Sengar) bail would have been rejected because he raped me. My father was killed. My family members were killed. The security of my family members and witnesses was removed... My husband was fired from his job... My children are unsafe at home."
Her mother, voicing betrayal and hope, stated: "I have been manhandled by those who were supposed to protect me, I have lost my husband and family fighting for justice, but I have faith in the Supreme Court."
Protestor Neha, with dafli in one hand, chanting slogans of Azaadi, addressed the gathering: "The Supreme Court must pay heed to the echoes of Jantar Mantar, that Kuldeep Singh Sengar belongs in jail and ensure Justice and Safety to the survivor and her family."
Activist Yogita Bhayana said CBI has to save its face now, and we're hopeful of the Supreme Court hearing tomorrow.
She added that the health of the Unnao rape survivor, who was sitting on a dharna, suddenly deteriorated. Continuous mental pressure and delay in justice are now also affecting her health, she said.
Protestor JNUSU President Aditi condemned the pattern of protecting accused individuals, saying: "We see the same pattern repeatedly -rapists from Hathras to Unnao are being garlanded and protected, while women survivors are being killed, threatened, and detained merely for demanding justice." She demanded immediate cancellation of the suspension and protection for the survivor.
JNUSU Joint Secretary Danish highlighted the hypocrisy in government slogans: "In this country, rape survivors are forced to fight relentlessly for justice. What had happened to the slogan 'Beti Bachao, Beti Padhao'? This government has failed to ensure even a single safe space for women." She noted detentions of the survivor at India Gate and near Parliament, comparing it to the treatment of protesting wrestlers, and reiterated calls for revoking the order.
The case, transferred to Delhi by the Supreme Court in 2019 for a fair trial, underscores ongoing concerns about political influence in sexual violence cases and the challenges survivors face in securing lasting justice. As the top court prepares to deliberate, activists and the survivor's family pin their hopes on a reversal, emphasising the need to prioritise victim safety over procedural relief for convicts in heinous crimes.
Track Latest News Live on NDTV.com and get news updates from India and around the world
Follow us:
Supreme Court, Unnao Rape Case, Kuldeep Singh Sengar