The Uttar Pradesh government on Monday night recommended a Central Bureau of Investigation inquiry into a car crash in Rae Bareli the previous day, in which the complainant in the Unnao rape case was seriously injured and two of her aunts killed, PTI reported. The family of the complainant has alleged that Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the Bharatiya Janata Party MLA accused of rape, was behind the accident.
Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar said an official request has been sent to the Centre. “The government has decided to refer the investigation of case crime number 305/2019 u/s 302/307/506/120 B IPC PS Gurbuxganj Distt Raebareli to the CBI,” he said. “A formal request has been sent to Government of India in this regard.
The Uttar Pradesh Police on Monday booked Sengar, his brother Manoj Singh Sengar and eight others on murder charges in connection with the car crash. Sengar is lodged in Sitapur district jail at present. According to the first information report, the personnel in charge of the complainant’s security had informed Sengar of her movements.
Earlier on Monday, Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police OP Singh had said the state government was ready for a CBI inquiry if the family made a request. Singh had said preliminary inquiries suggested it was an accident caused by a speeding truck and there was no negligence in the security provided to the complainant. “Due to lack of space in her vehicle, she requested the security personnel deputed for security not to accompany her to Rae Bareli yesterday,” he had said. Unnao Superintendent of Police Madhav Prasad Verma also confirmed that the security officer who usually accompanies the family was not with them on Sunday.
Meanwhile, the complainant’s uncle, submitted an application for parole. “I visited the Rae Bareli jail with the SP and met him [the uncle],” Rae Bareli District Magistrate Neha Sharma said. “He had give application for parole application and as he is resident of Unnao it has been forwarded to the Unnao district magistrate.”
Sharma said the woman’s uncle filed two other pleas. “One for registration of an FIR which has already been filed and the other for a CBI probe into the matter,” she said. “This application has been forwarded to the principal secretary [home].”
The 19-year-old complainant, who had accused the legislator of rape last year, and her lawyer are undergoing treatment at the trauma centre of King George’s Medical University in Lucknow. They are in serious condition, while two of the complainant’s aunts died in the same crash. The woman’s family has alleged that Sengar and his associates planned the car crash.
Opposition attacks BJP, state government
Former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mayawati on Tuesday claimed the accused have the patronage of the BJP. “The meeting of BJP MP Sakshi Maharaj with the rape-accused BJP MLA in jail proved that the rape accused are continuously getting the patronage of the ruling BJP,” she tweeted. “The Supreme Court needs to take cognizance of it.” On Monday, she had alleged a conspiracy behind the crash.
Congress workers led by leader of the Legislature Party Ajay Kumar Lallu staged a dharna and demanded that Sengar be removed from the party.
Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav met the complainant’s family in hospital. “Can the state government not ensure justice to this beti [daughter],” Yadav asked, according to PTI. “What is the fault of the family members? If something happens to the two injured who will be responsible for it?”
Congress General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra asked why people like Sengar are given the “protection of political power”, while their victims are abandoned to battle for their lives alone.
“Why do we give people like Kuldeep Sengar the strength and protection of political power and abandon their victims to battle for their lives alone?” Gandhi tweeted. “This FIR clearly states that the family was threatened and apprehensive. It even mentions the possibility of a planned accident.” She also asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to sack him.
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