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Unnao rape case latest updates: The CBI has arrested Kuldeep Singh Sengar after Allahabad High Court directed it to do so. Meanwhile, Prime Minister Narendra Modi finally broke his silence on the two rape cases. Speaking at an event for inauguration of Ambedkar museum, Modi said that justice will be served and no one who is guilty shall be spared. The Opposition is riling up attack against the BJP government in the wake of the Unnao and Kathua rape cases. On one hand Aam Aadmy Party said it will gherao the prime minister’s residence on Sunday, while the Congress party is planning to take out candlelight vigils in all state capitals across India. The Allahabad High Court on Friday ordered the CBI to probe all three FIRs, arrest Kuldeep Singh Sengar and cancel the bail of those accused. The court has directed the investigating agency to present the progress report on the same on 2 May at 10 am. The Allahabad High Court is set to pass its order on the Unnao rape case at 2 pm on Friday. The court on Thursday took strong objection to the delay in the BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s arrest, as it sought details of the action taken by the government in the matter. One of the three FIRs filed by the CBI against the rape accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Kumar Sengar specifies the charges he has been booked for. He has been charged under Section 363, 366, 376, 506 of the Indian Penal Code and Section 2 and 4 of the POCSO Act. The FIR mentions the survivor’s mother as the complainant. According to
CNN-News18
, Uttar Pradesh DGP “wrongly” advised the government on the BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s arrest, alleging that the Unnao rape case was mismanaged by him. The seven-member CBI team will quiz medical officers and policemen. Meanwhile, Kuldeep Singh Sengar has denied being arrested or detained by the CBI and said that he had come to the CBI office on his own. The CBI team reached a Unnao hotel on Friday, where the rape survivor’s family is staying, to investigate, even as accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was being questioned in Lucknow. The primary accused in the Unnao rape case, BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, is currently being interrogated by the CBI in Lucknow. He is being questioned from 4.45 am on Friday morning. Meanwhile, the BJP MLA’s supporters, hoping he gets a clean chit, held special prayers on Friday at the BJP MLA’s home in Makhi. The rape survivor’s mother demanded that the accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar be awarded death penalty. “I am happy (with CBI detaining him). I want him to get punishment, get death penalty. My husband is dead and he is not going to return now. The accused must be hanged. Kuldeep must be hanged. Both Atul and Kuldeep Sengar must be sent to jail and hanged,” she said. BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was taken into CBI custody for questioning in the wee hours of Friday morning. He was picked up by the CBI from his house in Lucknow at 4.30 am, reported
News18
. The CBI has detained BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, accused of raping a minor last year, on Friday, a day after the Uttar Pradesh government handed over the probe to the central agency. The investigating agency has registered three cases against him and is currently questioning Sengar at its Lucknow office, reports said. As outrage mounted over the alleged gangrape of a minor girl over a year ago, the Allahabad High Court on Thursday rebuked the Uttar Pradesh government for being tardy in arresting the prime accused, BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, despite an FIR against him, warning that it may be forced to observe that the “law and order has collapsed in the state”. The FIR itself came days after the Unnao girl tried to self-immolate in front of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s house on Sunday accusing authorities of inaction, and the death of her father in custody the next day allegedly after being beaten up by the politician’s brother and their henchmen in front of policemen. As the public outcry raged amid growing demands by political parties and civil society for the legislator’s arrest, protests were also held outside Adityanath’s house. The police put the onus on the CBI to arrest the MLA, who has remained defiant and has dubbed allegations as a political conspiracy. The FIR was registered against Sengar under various sections of the IPC, including for rape, kidnapping and criminal intimidation as well as under provisions of the Prevention of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. Under POCSO, an accused has to be arrested immediately. [caption id=“attachment_4428487” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]
File image of BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. PTI[/caption] The case was registered hours before the high court was to hear the matter, and so was the Uttar Pradesh government’s decision on transferring the case to the CBI late last night. “Police is not ready to register FIR of a minor rape victim. In spite of the SIT report, you are repeating that you can take any action only after further investigation. If this is the conduct of the police in the state, who will a victim approach to register a complaint,” the court said. “If this is the stand you are repeatedly taking, then we will be forced to observe in our order that law and order has collapsed in the state,” it said. The court, which is expected to pass an order on Friday, took strong objection to the delay in the MLA’s arrest, as it sought details of the action taken by the government in the matter. The court was told by the Advocate General that three of the accused in the case were arrested, including the MLA’s brother, but any further action would depend on statements of the complainant and witnesses. Observing that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report showed that the medical officers and police officers were hand in glove with the accused to save them, the court said since these officers have been arrested already why further investigation was needed to arrest the main accused. Senior Advocate GS Chaturvedi, who had moved the court, said the SIT headed by senior police officers conducted preliminary investigation and then filed a report after which the FIR was registered. Meanwhile, the Centre issued a notification approving the CBI probe into the case, officials said later in the evening in New Delhi. When asked when Sengar would be arrested, Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar told reporters in Lucknow that the CBI would take a decision on this. State Director General of Police OP Singh said the minor had not named the MLA before the magistrate earlier as she feared for her life. The government has decided to extend security to the family of the 17-year-old girl, he added. Kumar dismissed allegations that police was trying to shield the MLA. Strong reactions came from opposition parties, who demanded immediate arrest of the MLA, with senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence over the Unnao rape case. Sibal also alleged that Modi was “not serious” about the crimes against women across the country, in an apparent reference to another rape case in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir, where the BJP is in the ruling alliance with the PDP. Several Union ministers including Mahesh Sharma, Piyush Goyal and Maneka Gandhi, however, sought to defend the BJP government in Uttar Pradesh, saying it is committed to protecting women, and ensuring that law takes its course. Two doctors have been suspended and disciplinary proceedings initiated against three others for laxity in providing the victim’s father with proper medical care and treatment prior to his judicial custody and at the district hospital, officials said. Kumar said the government decided to transfer the case to the CBI after lodging the case into the incidents of 4 June, 2017, (alleged rape) and since the two other cases of 3 April this year (cross FIRs on the beating up of the victim’s father leading to his death) are connected, they will also be transferred to the CBI. The teen rape survivor demanded immediate arrest of the MLA, saying the CBI probe could be conducted later. “Why is he being shielded? If the MLA is allowed to remain out he will not leave my uncle… He had earlier too hatched conspiracies against my kin,” she said. With inputs from PTI
Unnao rape case updates: Narendra Modi ends silence, assures justice; CBI arrests Kuldeep Singh Sengar
The CBI detained BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, accused in the Unnao rape case, on Friday, a day after the Uttar Pradesh government handed over the probe to the central agency.
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Unnao rape survivor’s kin asks what about brother’s murder case
“People have been arrested only in the rape case, the murder case of my brother has not been touched yet,” the uncle of Unnao rape survivor told ANI. He added that despite this the investigation is going “at a good pace” and that they are safe.
Not In My Name protests launched after Kathua, Unnao cases; hundreds march over atrocities against minorities
Hundreds of people on Sunday participated in a protest march called “Not In My Name” at Parliament Street in the national capital against increasing incidents of rape and atrocities on Dalits and minorities.
Gurgaon-based filmmaker Saba Dewan led the protest. The protest included artistes and students, who vented their anger over the incidents and claimed that Muslims in the country were living in fear. They said the rights of Dalits and Adivasis were being questioned.
Read more hereDeath penalty won’t solve problem, attitude towards women needs to change
The facts show that to prevent sexual crimes, we have to make large changes in our society and its treatment of women at the level of the family. And we need to ensure that the existing laws on reporting sexual violence are followed at the level of every police station across India. This is very, very hard work but it will ensure that the rate of reporting goes up, at least to the levels where it is in the rest of the world. After the rate of reporting goes up, the state needs to ensure that it conducts proper investigations (which need resources and cannot be done with the same force or budget) that increases the rate of convictions.
All of this is difficult, and most politicians know that it is close to impossible. That is why the easy way is chosen and that is to demand that rapists be hanged. The fact that murderers are also hanged and it has no effect on murders does not seem to worry us.
Full analysis hereGroup of former civil servants pens letter to PM, tells him to ‘act tough’ against culprits of Kathua, Unnao rape cases
In a strongly-worded open letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a group of former civil servants on Sunday asked him to check the nations “free fall into anarchy” by acting tough against the culprits of the Kathua and Unnao rape cases and the perpetrators of hate crimes across the country.
Holding Modi responsible “more than anyone else” for the “terrifying state of affairs” and pointing out that both in Uttar Pradesh (Unnao) and Jammu and Kashmir (Kathua) it is his party (BJP) that is in power, the 49 former civil servants who included Aruna Roy, Harsh Mander, Wajahat Habibullah, Jawahar Sircar and NC Saxena, termed the present state of affairs an “existential crisis”.
“This is a moment of existential crisis, a turning point — the way the government responds now will determine whether we as a nation and as a republic have the capacity to overcome the crisis of constitutional values, of governance and the ethical order within which we function.
The group has also demanded the convening of an all-party meeting “to deliberate on ways in which the phenomenon of hate crime can be tackled socially, politically and administratively”. —IANS
Delhi chief minister Arvind Kejriwal seeks death penalty for rape of minors
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on Sunday demanded death penalty for those raping minors and also blasted the BJP for defending its MLA accused of raping a teenager in Uttar Pradesh. While visiting the Rajghat where Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal’s fast on the same issue entered the third day, Kejriwal said his government was ready to make amendments to the existing law to ensure death penalty to rapists of minors.- IANS
Sharp contrast between strictly professional manner with which Kathua case has been handled in comparison to connivance of state administration in Unnao rape case
Though both provoked a public uproar, the Kathua case correlates with the involvement of a BJP legislator and his cronies in the alleged rape of a 16-year-old girl and the murder of her father in judicial custody in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district.
However, what happened to the eight-year-old girl in Kathua cannot be seen merely through the prism of the routine brutalisation of Indian women by sexual predators or political perfidy on display under Yogi Adityanath’s rule since it has a larger and darker dimension.
There is also a sharp contrast between the strictly professional manner with which senior officers of the Jammu and Kashmir Police Crime Branch investigated the case in Kathua and the connivance of the state administration in Uttar Pradesh to protect the politically powerful from charges of rape and murder.
Full analysis hereIndian students from leading universities in UK write to Narendra Modi ahead of his visit demanding justice in rape cases
Indian students and alumni based in the UK have delivered a letter for Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Indian High Commission in London asking him to take “extraordinary measures” to ensure justice in rape cases reported from different states in India.
The National Indian Students and Alumni Union (NISAU) UK, together with 19 India-related societies at leading UK universities, submitted the letter dated 14 April ahead of the Indian PM’s four-day visit to the UK on Tuesday.
It urges the Indian government to take “extraordinary measures” in the horrific rape cases that have been reported in Jammu and Kashmir, Uttar Pradesh and more recently in Gujarat. “Hon Prime Minister, extraordinary times demand extraordinary measures. You have not shied away from taking difficult decisions in the past, such as with demonetisation. Please take similar extraordinary steps to prove that India’s daughters matter,” the letter reads.
The University of Oxford India Society, London School of Economics India Society, University College London Indian Society, Imperial College London Indian Society and University of Birmingham Bharat Parivar are among the 19 signatories of the letter alongside NISAU UK, one of the UK’s largest Indian student organisations. —PTI
Visuals of protests held in Bandra, Mumbai against the Unnao, Kathua rape cases
Protest held at Parliament Street in Delhi against the Unnao, Kathua rape cases, ANI reports
DCW chief Swati Maliwal’s hunger strike for stricter anti-rape laws enters third day
An indefinite hunger strike by Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) Chairperson Swati Maliwal entered the third day on Sunday in support of death penalty for rapists.
Maliwal launched the protest at Rajghat on Friday in wake of the rape incidents in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao and Jammu and Kashmir’s Kathua districts.
In a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday, the DCW chief said: “I will not break my anshan (fast) until the Prime Minister does not (promise) the country a better system for the safety of our daughters.” The protest saw a large number of women and children participating, urging the authorities to implement stricter anti-rape laws in the country.
The Commission had observed a month-long satyagraha in February demanding fast-track courts and stricter laws for those accused of raping minors.
BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s aide Shashi Singh presented in CBI Special Court in Lucknow, reports ANI
Dinesh Gundu Rao regrets calling Yogi Adityanath ‘dhongi’; terms it ’emotional outburst’ over Unnao, Kathua rape cases
Congress leader Dinesh Gundu Rao expressed regret over his “slipper” jibe on Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath terming it as an emotional outburst.
Speaking during a candlelight march held by KPCC over the Unnao and Kathua rape cases, Rao had called Adityanath a “dhongi” who should be “beaten up with slippers”.
The KPCC (Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee) working president had also claimed that atrocities against women had gone up under Adityanath’s rule in Uttar Pradesh. He was the chief minister was “not a Yogi. He is a dhongi (fake). The prime minister should sack him.” Rao also said, “If he comes next time to Karnataka, he should be beaten with your sandals. Drive him out.”
Read more hereCongress holds candlelight march in protest against Kathua, Unnao rape cases in Shimla
Meanwhile, ANI reports that a woman in Unnao alleges that a councillor from Safipur raped her while his accomplice filmed the act, an FIR has been filed in the case
In the wake of this crisis, it is important to understand how the society views and examines rape as a crime, and why it views some cases of sexual violence as more significant in public discourses than others. Why is there a more public outcry for certain rape cases than others? And does this perception play a part in the kind of reform we demand from policymakers and the judiciary when it comes to sexual violence?
Full analysis hereSengar’s goons are threatening villagers to keep quiet, alleges kin of Unnao rape case victim | ANI
Speaking to ANI, a relative of the Unnao rape case victim alleged that goons of BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar are threatening villagers to keep quiet. He also said that two people have gone missing since then they arrived in cars on Saturday.
RECAP: CBI makes second arrest
The CBI on Saturday made a second arrest in the Unnao rape case as it took into custody Shashi Singh, the woman who allegedly took the victim to BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on the day of crime, officials said.
In her complaint to UP Police, now part of the CBI FIR, the victim’s mother has alleged that Shashi Singh had lured her daughter and took her to Sengar’s residence where he raped her. She has also alleged that while the MLA was raping her daughter, Shashi Singh stood outside the room as a guard.
RECAP: BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar sent to 7-day CBI custody
BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the main accused in the rape of the 18-year-old girl from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh has been sent to seven-day police custody on Saturday, reports said.
The CBI had arrested Sengar on Friday for the assault, murder and rape of a minor after an Allahabad High Court order. Sengar was grilled by the investigation agency for close to 15 hours. His arrest had come only after the Allahabad High Court rapped the investigation agency.
Watch: Unnao victim’s uncle’s statement after CBI met their family
Samajwadi Party demands president rule in Uttar Pradesh
Samajwadi Party on Friday demanded that President’s rule be imposed in Uttar Pradesh because of the “deteriorating law and order”, The Times of India reported.
Delhi Congress to hold protest across national capital over two rape cases
Kuldeep Singh Sengar arrested by CBI
The CBI has arrested BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar accused of assaut, murder and raping a minor was finally arrested by the CBI after the Allahabad High Court’s order. Sengar was grilled by the investigation agency for close to 15 hours.
Unnao medical superintendent suspended, departmental enquiry against 3 other doctors
Medical superintendent and casualty officer at Unnao District Hospital was suspended on Friday evening a day after CBI took over the case. A departmental inquiry has also initiated against 3 other doctors. The Allahabad High Court had also raised questions on the role of doctors on duty asking that why was the victim’s father released to be taken into police custody again, if his injuries were serious.
CBI continues to grill Kuldeep Sengar; MLA being interrogated since 15 hours
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) continued the interrogation of BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar at CBI Zonal office in Lucknow. He is being questioned since past 15 hours . The premier investigation agency has also recorded the victim and her family’s statements separately in Unnao and has called them to Lucknow tomorrow for further investigation.
Narendra Modi finally breaks silence, says guilty will not be spared
“Incidents being discussed since past two days cannot be part of a civilised society. As a country, as a society we all are ashamed of it. I want to assure the country that no culprit will be spared, complete justice will be done. Our daughters will definitely get justice,” he said.
The prime minister was speaking at an event to mark the inauguration of Ambedkar museum in New Delhi.
HC raps UP Police for registering false case against girl’s family, says Kuldeep Singh Sengar influenced probe
In its 20-page order, the court also said, “The disturbing feature of the case is that the law and order machinery and the government officials were directly in league and under the influence of Kuldeep Singh. The doctor did not examine the prosecutrix, nor did the circle officer, Shafipur, register the crime, though hand written complaint of the prosecutrix was sent from the office of the Chief Minister.”
The bench said the father of prosecutrix was “beaten up by the brother and the goons of Kuldeep Singh and was arrested and in the custody was beaten mercilessly”.
It also said it appears that false cases were lodged against the family members.
Allahabad HC questions why police arrested complainant, not accused
We fail to understand why the Investigating Agency instead of arresting accused persons, they arrested complainant, in connection with this case," the Allahabad High Court asked in its order.
The court also rapped the investigating agency for allowing Sengar to influence their actions.
Firm action will be taken against criminals, no matter how influential they may be: Yogi Adityanath
Facing severe flak over the delay in taking action against his party MLA who has been accused in the Unnao rape case, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath today said his government had not deviated from its zero-tolerance policy on crime and that it would firmly deal with criminals, no matter how influential they might be.
“As soon as the matter came to the notice of the government on 9 April, we immediately constituted an SIT (Special Investigation Team) and initiated action in the matter…The policemen and doctors found guilty in the SIT report were suspended,” the CM told reporters in Chitrakoot.
“We have referred the matter to the CBI…Our government will not compromise on the zero-tolerance policy it has followed against crime and corruption since the beginning. We will firmly deal with criminals, however influential they might be,” Adityanath said.
PTI
Police detain protesters who were agitating over Unnao rape case outside Raj Bhavan in Kolkata
Uttar Pradesh government protected Kuldeep Singh Sengar: Abhishek Manu Singhvi
Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi addressed the media over the Kathua and Unnao rape case. Targeting the BJP over Prime minister’s silence, Singhvi said that the collective conscience of the nation has been shaken, and India is waiting to listen from three people. He said the prime minister and the chief ministers of Jammu and Kashmir and Uttar Pradesh should answer.
Rahul Gandhi questions Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s silence on Kathua, Unnaorape cases
Smriti Irani breaks silence on Kathua, Unnao rape cases, slams Rahul Gandhi
Smriti Irani, who had been vocal at the time of Damini Singh’s brutal rape and murder in New Delhi, had been silent on the Unnao and Kathua cases so far. Tody, speaking to reporters she said, “Rahul Gandhi earlier stood in support of Gayatri Prasad Prajapati. It’s just his compulsion to take a stand this time but Amethi knows the truth. I have faith that justice will be provided.”
AAP to gherao PM’s residence against Unnao, Kathua rape cases
The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) will ‘ gherao ’ prime minister Narendra Modi’s residence in New Delhi on Sunday over what it said on Friday was his silence on the rapes in Unnao and Kathua.
Addressing the media, senior party leader Gopal Rai said the party would also launch a country-wide campaign after Sunday on rising attacks against women. Rai said the prime minister became silent whenever the country faced trouble. “Why is he silent? What is the reason? Even Manmohan Singh used to speak at times.”
Guilty should be publicly hanged or shot dead: Assam BJP MP on Kathua, Unnao rape cases
Voices from within the BJP are coming out against the brutal Unnao and Kathua rape cases. BJP MP from Assam RP Sharma also demanded death penalty for those found guilty, even if the accused hailed from his own party. “The guilty should be publicly hanged or shot dead. There should be no leniency with rapists. Even if the guilty is found to be a BJP member, he should be executed publicly,” Sharma said .
Congress workers to take out candlelight march in capitals of all states
Congress President Rahul Gandhi has instructed party members to hold candlelight march at capitals of all the states against the Kathua and Unnao rape cases,
On the instructions of Congress President Rahul Gandhi, party members will hold candlelight march at capitals of all the states against #Kathua & #Unnao rape cases pic.twitter.com/FfecSy5oLi
— ANI (@ANI) April 13, 2018 ">ANI reported.
Watch: Gopal Chaturvedi, the man whose letter became basis of Allahabad HC taking suo motu cognisance, reacts to order
Input by Saurabh Sharma, 101 Reporters
CBI Team visits Makhi police station in Unnao