Breaking: Delhi Court sentences Kuldeep Singh Sengar to imprisonment for the remainder of his life in 2017 Unnao rape case.

Delhi Court has today sentenced expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar to imprisonment for the remainder of his life in the 2017 Unnao rape case.

CBI Court also imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Sengar. As per the order, Rs 10 lakh out of this amount to be given to the victim and Rs 15 lakh to be settled towards prosecution expenses.

In case the fine is not paid within a month, it shall be recovered by the State of Uttar Pradesh as arrears of land revenue or otherwise under Sec 421 CrPC. 

The Court has also directed that adequate steps shall be taken by the CBI to ensure that life and liberty of survivor and her family is protected by providing a safe house and change of identity, if so desired by the family. 

It has also directed the CBI to assess the threat perception to life of the survivor and her family every three months and after expiry of the lease of the place she is presently residing at. 

The lease may be further extended for a reasonable time, it was added.  

While imposing the maximum sentence on Sengar, the Court remarked that there were no mitigating circumstances.

It was added that being a public servant in a democratic set up, Sengar enjoyed the faith of people which was betrayed and a single act of depravity was enough to do so. 

The Court also took note of the fact that even after the offence was committed, Sengar made all efforts were made to silence the victim and her family.

Earlier this month, the Court had convicted Sengar for commission of offences under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code and Sections 5(c) and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The order was passed this afternoon by District and Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma.

While convicting Sengar, the Court had stated that the prosecution had successfully proved that the rape survivor was minor and that she was sexually assaulted by Sengar.

The trial in the case was held in-camera.

The Unnao rape survivor, a minor, was allegedly kidnapped and raped by Sengar between June 11-20, 2017. She was then sold for Rs. 60,000, after which she was recovered at the Maakhi police station.

The survivor was thereafter continuously threatened and warned by the police officials against speaking, as instructed by Sengar.

After running from pillar to post, an FIR finally came to be recorded against Sengar under Sections 363, 366, 376, 506 IPC and 3/4 of the POCSO Act in April 2018. Sengar was also arrested pursuant to an order passed by the Allahabad High Court.

Earlier this year, the Unnao rape case had taken a controversial turn after a lorry without a number plate rammed into the car in which the victim was travelling. The victim and her lawyer were critically injured, while two of her aunts passed away.

Subsequently, the Supreme Court transferred the trial in all cases relating to the Unnao rape case to Delhi from Lucknow and ordered that the same be held on a day-to-day basis and completed within 45 days.

Following the transfer, charges under Sections 120 B, 363, 366, 376 and other relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act were framed against Sengar.

The other cases which are pending before Court in relation to the Unnao rape case include cases pertaining to the death of the survivor’s father in judicial custody following an illegal firearms case against him, the involvement of Sengar and others in the accident case and the gang rape of the rape survivor by three others.