The survivor of the 2017 Unnao rape case on Wednesday described the Delhi High Court's decision to suspend the jail term of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar as "kaal" (death) for her family and said she would approach the Supreme Court to challenge the order.
On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court suspended Sengar's life sentence in the rape case and granted him bail while his appeal against the December 2019 conviction remains pending. While allowing the relief, the court imposed strict conditions, directing Sengar not to enter a 5-kilometre radius of the survivor’s residence or intimidate her or her mother, warning that any violation would result in automatic cancellation of bail.
However, Sengar will continue to remain behind bars as he is also serving a 10-year sentence in the custodial death case of the survivor’s father and has not been granted bail in that matter.
'Kaal for us': Unnao rape survivor
Reacting to the verdict, the survivor, who was a minor when she was kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017, told news agency PTI over phone from Delhi that security for her family members, lawyers and witnesses had already been withdrawn and the court's decision had deepened her fears.
"If the convict gets bail in a case like this, how will the country's daughters remain safe? For us, this decision is no less than 'kaal' (death)," she said.
"Those with money win, those without money lose," she rued.
The survivor, who was heading out with her mother to stage a protest near Mandi House against the verdict, added that she would challenge the HC order in the Supreme Court.
Survivor seeks justice
Women’s rights activist Yogita Bhayana, who held a late-night protest with the Unnao rape survivor's mother at India Gate on Tuesday, shared a video of the survivor and her mother on X, alleging harassment by security personnel.
In the video, the survivor said she had left home earlier in the day to meet her lawyer, who had asked her to sign documents related to moving the Supreme Court, and to meet Bhayana. However, she claimed CRPF personnel attempted to force her to return home.
"I kept shouting that I needed to meet my lawyer. I was shouting inside the vehicle too. Later, an order came from the top to allow me to go and meet my lawyer," the survivor said. "All I want is justice," she added.
Bhayana alleged that the survivor was injured during the commotion. She also shared an audio clip of a phone conversation from earlier in the day, in which the survivor can be heard saying she was not being allowed to meet her lawyer and that security personnel were taking her back home. Bhayana is heard advising her to step out of the vehicle and refuse to go with them.
The survivor further alleged that her mother was forcibly removed from the protest site at India Gate on Tuesday night and left in the middle of the road.
A senior police officer, however, denied the allegations, stating, "We removed the protesters from the site around 8.45 pm on Tuesday and placed them in a CRPF bus. No further action was taken."
Speaking to PTI Videos, Bhayana said the survivor feared for her life.
Unnao rape case
The girl was kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017 when she was a minor. On March 13, 2020, Sengar was sentenced to 10 years' rigorous imprisonment and was fined Rs 10 lakh in connection with the case of the custodial death of the rape victim's father. The court had also awarded a 10-year jail term to Sengar's brother, Atul Singh Sengar, and five others.
The father of the rape victim was arrested at the behest of Sengar in a case under the Arms Act. He died in custody on April 9, 2018. The rape case and other connected cases were transferred to Delhi from a trial court in Uttar Pradesh on the directions of the Supreme Court on August 1, 2019.
Also Read: Delhi HC suspends jail term of ex-BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in Unnao rape case, grants bail
Also Read: Kuldeep Sengar gets interim bail by Delhi High Court on medical grounds in Unnao rape case
