Supreme Court asks Unnao rape survivor, kin to spell out their stand on Centre’s plea

The Supreme Court on Tuesday asked the 2017 Unnao rape survivor and her family members to spell out their stand on the Centre’s plea seeking withdrawal of CRPF security cover provided to them following the court’s order in 2019.

Expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar is serving life term for kidnapping and raping the minor girl in UP’s Unnao area in 2017.

Taking note of the sensational rape case and the threat to lives of the survivor and others, the apex court on August 1, 2019, directed that the rape survivor, her mother, other members of the family and their lawyer be provided CRPF security.

A Bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma directed the Centre’s application to be served on the victim and her family members. The Bench also observed that since there is hardly any threat perception, it would like to close the case.

The Centre’s counsel said no security cover was needed according to the threat analysis of the victim and her family members.

Advocate Ruchira Goel, appearing for the Uttar Pradesh Government, submitted that everything, including the trial, was transferred to Delhi after the incident following the apex court’s order.

The Bench asked Goel where the victim resides at present. She replied that the woman and her family stay in Delhi.

On May 14, the top court had asked the Centre to file a separate application seeking withdrawal of CRPF security cover provided to the survivor, her family members and their lawyers.

The Centre submitted that the security cover may be provided by either the Delhi or Uttar Pradesh police and the CRPF be permitted to withdraw.

In 2019, the top court transferred all five cases registered in connection with the Unnao rape incident from a Lucknow court to a court in Delhi with the direction to hold trial on a daily basis and complete it within 45 days.

The Supreme Court also directed the Uttar Pradesh Government to provide ~25 lakh as interim compensation to the rape survivor.

The court had added that the CBI would have to complete the investigation into the accident within seven days in which the survivor and her lawyer were critically injured and two of her aunts killed.

Her father was arrested at the behest of Sengar in a case under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018. With inputs from PTI