Unnao rape-murder case: Rahul Gandhi slams PM Narendra Modi over mysterious death, burial of key witness

Image Courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Congress President Rahul Gandhi on Thursday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the mysterious death and burial without autopsy of a key witness in the Unnao rape-murder case involving BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar. It "smells of a conspiracy," Gandhi said.

"Is this your idea of 'justice for our daughters', Mr 56?" Gandhi tweeted.

BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar is one of the accused in the Unnao rape case.

The CBI had earlier filed a chargesheet in a Lucknow court against the BJP MLA, his brother and eight others, including three policemen, in its probe into the Arms Act case in which the politician had framed the Unnao gang-rape victim's father.

The agency has filed chargesheet against Jai Deep Singh alias Atul Singh Sengar, a brother of BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, and his accomplices Vineet Mishra alias Vinay Mishra; Birendra Singh alias Bauwa, Ram Sharan Singh alias Sonu Singh and Shashi Pratap Singh alias Suman Singh, all residents of Makhi village in Unnao District of the state.  The agency has charged the accused of murder and other related offences, a CBI spokesperson told PTI.

The MLA is also an accused in the rape case. He is currently lodged in the Sitapur jail after the survivor petitioned and requested that he be moved from the local Unnao jail.

The case came to light in April this year when a 17-year-old girl alleged that she was raped by Bangermau MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar of the BJP at his residence when she had gone to meet him with a relative seeking a job last year.

The girl attempted a suicide outside the residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav in Lucknow, claiming police inaction in the rape case that took place in June 2017. Two days later after the self-immolation incident, the victim's father lost his life in police custody. 

The girl's father had come from Delhi to attend the court hearing on April 3 for registration of a case related to rape of his minor daughter against the MLA.

In the evening, he was allegedly abused and beaten up by the accused in front of his house during which he suffered serious injuries. He was also slapped with the Arms Act by the local police and put in jail where he succumbed to injuries in the absence of treatment on April 8. An autopsy revealed multiple injuries on his body.

During an investigation, all the accused named in the FIR were arrested and they are at present in judicial custody, the spokesperson said. "Further investigation, in this case, to look into the roles of others including an MLA, officials are continuing," he said. 

In the charge sheet, CBI investigator Anil Kumar charged the accused persons under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including murder. The CBI mentioned names of 76 witnesses and 53 documentary evidence in its 19-page charge sheet. The CBI had registered the FIR in this case on April 12.

Kuldeep Singh Sengar is the main accused in the rape case and at present, is in jail.