Unnao rape case Updates: UP Police constitutes SIT to probe accident; kin of truck driver, owner deny connections with Kuldeep Sengar

Uttar Pradesh police constitutes SIT to probe accident involving Unnao rape case victim

The Uttar Pradesh Police constituted a Special Investigation Team to probe into the road accident in which the Unnao rape survivor and her lawyer were critically injured and her two aunts killed.

“We have constituted a SIT headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Raebareli Shahi Shekhar to probe into the mishap in Raebareli on Sunday,” IG (Law and Order) Praveen Kumar told reporters here.

Circle officers Gopinath Soni, Lakshmikant Gautam and R P Shahi will also be members of the team, he said. The team will go into all the aspects and probe the incident till the CBI takes over the probe, the officer said.

Bangarmau MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar expelled from BJP, says party spokesperson Niti Jain

Informing CNN-News18 that Bangarmau MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar has been expelled from the party, BJP spokesperson Niti Jain said, “Neither I nor the party will not defend anyone who has been accused of rape.”

Uttar Pradesh government will bear all treatment expenses, says deputy CM Dinesh Sharma​

Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma met the Unnao rape victim at King George’s Medical University Trauma Centre in Lucknow, where she is being treated after being critically injured in an accident. “Our first priority is to ensure the victim gets complete medical facilities. Secondly, the parole application of Mahesh Singh, uncle of the rape victim. We will obey the Court’s decision in this regard,” said Sharma told media persons.

“The state government is bearing all the treatment expenses. The FIR has also been registered. The investigation is also underway. The CBI is also investigating the matter,” he added.

BJP suspends MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar till completion of inquiry by the CBI

The BJP announced the suspension of Bangarmau MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the main accused in the Unnao rape case, till CBI inquiry is completed in the matter, reported CNN-News18. It was also reported that an FIR was filed claiming that Sengar’s SPOs were asked to keep an eye on the victim’s movements.

Women’s rights groups stage protest outside UP Bhavan in Delhi

Several women’s rights organisations staged a protest outside the Uttar Pradesh Bhavan in Delhi, demanding justice for the Unnao rape survivor and slamming the state government’s “laxity” in dealing with the case. The protesters demanded an impartial probe into the case and raised slogans against Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath-led state government. They held placards that read: “Give Justice to Unnao Rape Victim”.

Calling for Sengar’s expulsion from the BJP, activist Annie Raja said everyone was aware of what happened to the Unnao rape survivor and it could not have happened without the active support of the Yogi government.

PTI

Uproar in Parliament over accident involving Unnao rape case victim, her lawyer and aunts

Congress leader Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury termed the rape as “a blot on civilised society” and demanded a response from Home Minister Amit Shah. “People of India are feeling ashamed today due to the Unnao incident, it is a blot on civilized society, where a minor girl was gang-raped. A truck hit a victim’s car and killed a witness while the victim and her lawyer are in critical condition. We demand the Home Minister to come to the House and give a statement,” said Chowdhury.

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Supriya Sule had sought a detailed inquiry into the road accident. She said that the government has the slogan of “beti bachao, beti padhao” but the ground reality was different. Sule said that “daughters” were not feeling safe and the government’s slogan should not be a “jumla”.

Samajwadi Party and Trinamool Congress MPs also staged a protest in the Parliament premises holding placards with the slogan “Bharat Sharminda Hain #Unnao”. Congress MPs too displayed similar posters.

Victim unable to maintain breathing without life support, say hospital sources

Sources from the King George’s Medical University Trauma Centre in Lucknow told  News18 the victim suffered a rib fracture and bleeding in her lungs. “The condition of the woman is serious and she is on ventilator. She has been unconscious since the time of the accident. She suffered serious head injuries and multiple fractures in legs,” the sources said.

“Several chest pipes have been inserted in her body to assist her lung functioning. More than the head injury, it’s the fractures and injuries to her lungs that have made her condition critical,” the sources added. Her blood pressure is fluctuating and she is unable to maintain breathing without life support, they said.

Victim sustained injuries on head, lungs, is critical but stable, NCW fact-finding team told

Taking suo moto cognizance of media reports regarding the road accident involving the Unnao rape case victim, her lawyer and aunts, the National Commission for Women has written to the Director General of Police, Uttar Pradesh to conduct a “free, fair and speedy” investigation in the matter.​

NCW has also constituted a two-member fact-finding team, which reached Lucknow and have visited the hospital where the injured are undergoing treatment. The team has been informed that the victim sustained injuries on her head, lungs and is not speaking since she is on ventilator. She is critical but stable.

The police is also working for the release of the victim’s uncle from jail on parole to perform the lat rites of her aunt who died in the accident.

Got threats that my family will be jailed in fake cases, victim wrote to CJI Ranjan Gogoi two weeks before accident

The Unnao rape victim had written a letter on 12 July to the Chief Justice of India (CJI) Ranjan Gogoi seeking action against those “who are making threats” to her and her family, reported ANI. “People came to my house and issued threats asking me to take back cases. Otherwise, the whole family will be put in jail in fake cases,” said the letter.

She said on 7 July morning, Naveen Singh, son of Sashi Singh, an accused in the rape case, came with Kuldeep Singh’s brother Manoj Singh, K Mishra and two others and threatened that they would get victim’s family entangled in fake cases. “You have already seen what we did,” they said in an apparent referene to the uncle of the victim who is lodged in a jail in alleged fake cases. “If you don’t settle, we will make your entire family will rot in jail,” they allegedly threatened.

‘Strict action against Sengar if found guilty’: Ex-BJP UP chief had said in July 2018

A report in Navbharat Times in July 2018 quotes the then BJP state chief Mahendra Nath Pandey said that party will “decide” on acting against Kuldeep Singh Sengar only after the allegations against him are proven. “If Kuldeep Sengar is found guilty in this investigation, strict action will be taken against him,” Pandey was quoted as saying.

BJP withdrew Y-level security for Kuldeep Singh Sengar in 2018

A quick search on the internet reveals that no leading mainstream or vernacular publication reported Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s alleged suspension as claimed by the Uttar Pradesh BJP. A report in Amar Ujala in April 2018, however, had reported on Y-level security of Sengar being withdrawn by the state government. Calling it a “major setback”, the report went to add the Y-level security comprises one Head Constable of Police (HCP), three constables at his residence and three constables as his bodyguard. The report further adds that the security was provided to Sengar under the SP government.

Government withdraws 'Y' category security from Unnao MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar who is in jail in connection with a rape case

— ANI UP/Uttarakhand (@ANINewsUP) April 20, 2018

Truck, involved in Sunday’s accident, is owned by ex-SP secretary, says BJP UP chief

In an official statement released by the Uttar Pradesh government, Swatantra Dev Singh also said that the owner of the truck, that was involved in Sunday’s accident, was a former SP secretary and the state government has issued an inquiry into that as well. 

“As requested by the survivor’s family, the case has been handed over to the CBI,” Singh said in a statement. 

Slamming the Opposition, Singh said that political opponents is jealous that the Yogi government is so popular and they are using Unnao and Sonbhadra incidents to create issues.

Centre running beti darao, not beti bachao, say protesters

On Sunday, an overspeeding truck hit the car in which the woman, her family and lawyer were travelling in Rae Bareli, killing two members and leaving her and the advocate critically injured. “The incident appears to be an attack and not an accident. It should be remembered that the victim’s father had earlier been killed while he was in police custody and the witness to the father’s killing died under suspicious circumstances,” Yogendra Yadav said in Delhi on Monday.

Shilpi Raj, a protester at India Gate, claimed it had become a pattern that women who raise their voice against harassment were harassed more for it. “The government is running a ‘beti darao’, not a ‘beti bachao’ drive” she alleged.

Protest held at India Gate demanding justice for Unnao rape survivor

Scores of people gathered at India Gate on Monday evening demanding justice for the Unnao rape survivor who was seriously injured in a road accident in Uttar Pradesh.

Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav joined the citizens, who were turned on their mobile phone flashlights  in solidarity with the 19-year-old woman and held posters that read “tum akeli nahi ho” (you are not alone).

BJP maintains that Sengar was suspended last year, says best doctors have been assigned to the victim and her family

The Uttar Pradesh BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh said that the Adityanath government is standing with the victim and her family and proper treatment is being taken care by the state government. Singh also said that “qualified doctors have been assigned to the case and the government is on the side of the victim.”

When asked about Sengar’s suspension, which the BJP claimed first happened in April 2018, Singh said, “Kuldeep Singh has already been suspended. Former party president will confirm it too. BJP will never side with a criminal and for a fair investigation we have handed over the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation.”

We hadn’t issued a press release then, clarifies BJP when asked about Sengar’s earlier suspension

Speaking to ANI, UP BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh said that Sengar the party had already suspended Sengar. According to reports, Sengar was suspended in April 2018, even though no media house reported it. On asking the party, spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi said, “We had not issued any press release then, but I am officially stating this now when you have asked me,” BJP spokesperson said.

BJP suspends Kuldeep Singh Sengar

The Bharatiya Janata Party has suspended MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar for his alleged connection with the road accident in which the Unnao rape survivor was grievously injured. The Uttar Pradesh party chief Swatantra Dev Singh told ANI, “He was suspended from the party and will stay suspended. CBI inquiry in the case is underway.”