After intense pressure, BJP expels Unnao rape accused Kuldeep Singh Sengar from party

Kuldeep Singh Sengar, main accused in the Unnao gangrape, was expelled by the BJP on Thursday. According to latest media reports, the top leadership at the BJP took the step after marathon meeting last night, which was attended by senior leaders Swatantra Dev Singh and Sunil Bansal. The party reportedly felt that suspension was not enough. While Swatantra Dev Singh had claimed that Sengar was suspended from party, there was never any official press release. Multiple media reports stated that no leader from the party had any details of the ‘suspension’. The BJP was under pressure to act against Sengar since the July 28 accident involving the Unnao rape survivor and her family.

According to a report by The Economic Times, the Uttar Pradesh BJP never said anything on the suspension or issued any official statement. Sengar was issued a show-cause notice by the BJP panel last year after he was accused of rape, the ET quoted UP BJP spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi as saying. However, no date of the suspension or other details were made available to media. Sengar’s expulsion coincides with the Supreme Court’s order to CBI, which directed the probe agency to complete the investigation within 7 days. 

The state government has come under severe criticism for failing to provide security to the 19-year-old woman who was allegedly raped by the BJP MLA in 2017 when she was a minor. On Sunday, the car in which the rape survivor was travelling with her family members and lawyer was hit by an over-speeding truck in Rae Bareli. Two of the rape survivor's aunts were killed, while she and her lawyer were critically injured in the accident. The number plate of the truck, which was coming from the opposite direction on the wrong side, was smeared with black paint. The Uttar Pradesh Police had on Monday filed a murder case against Sengar and nine others after the rape survivor's family filed a complaint, alleging "conspiracy" behind the car crash.