Verdict In Rape Case Against Ex-BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar At 3 PM Today

A Delhi Court is likely to pronounce its verdict in the alleged kidnapping and rape of a woman by Ex-BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district in 2017. The woman was kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017 when she was a minor. Sengar, a four-time BJP MLA from Bangermau constituency in Unnao, was expelled from the BJP after public and media pressure.

Sengar is also accused of murdering the victim's father, who was allegedly killed in judicial custody after being arrested on illegal arms case. He was arrested by police on April 3, 2018 and died on April 9. The family of the victim alleged that he was beaten by police and brother of the MLA inside the police station. A local court in Delhi has also framed murder and other chages against the MLA, his brother Atul Sengar and nine others in the case.

The case came to light after the vicitm tried to self immolate herself outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence in Lucknow. She allaged that police was not taking any action against the accused since he was a powerful ruling party MLA. On July 28 this year, the car of the survivor was hit by a truck and she was severely injured. The woman's two aunts were killed in the accident and her family had alleged foul play.

Also Read | CBI Forms Additional Special Team To Probe Unnao Rape Survivor's Accident

The Supreme Court, taking cognisance of the rape survivor's letter written to then Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi, had on August 1 transferred all five cases registered in connection with the Unnao rape incident from a Lucknow court in Uttar Pradesh to the court in Delhi with directions to hold trial on daily basis and completing it within 45-days.

The trial in the other four cases -- framing of the rape survivor's father in illegal firearms case and his death in judicial custody, conspiracy of Sengar with others in the accident case and a separate case of gangrape of the rape survivor by three others -- are ongoing in the court.

During in-camera proceedings, District Judge Dharmesh Sharma had said he was likely to pronounce the verdict on December 16 after conclusion of hearing of final arguments by the CBI and the accused in the case. The judge heard the case on a day-to-day basis from August 5 after it was transferred to Delhi from a court in Lucknow on Supreme Court's directions.

(With PTI inputs)