New Delhi: Found guilty of raping a minor, the sentenced convicted BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar has been awarded life imprisonment on Friday by the Delhi's Tis Hazari Court. The court has also ordered a compensation of rupees 10 lakh to be given to the rape survivor and rupees 15 lakh to be paid to prosecution as cost of the case.
Sengar had been found guilty of raping the minor by the court on December 16 last. It has to be mentioned that the rape of the minor girl had triggered nationwide outrage given allegations that ruling BJP government was a slow inarresting the four time MLA from the party.
The case went through many ups and downs including the death of victim's father who had died after being assaulted in police custody in April 2018. Following which the rape survivor had also attempted self immolation outside the residence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath.
Worth mentioning that the Unnao rape survivor was seriously injured in a car accident It was supected by the family that the accident was done deliberately by Sengar and his accomplices. The accident had taken lives of survivor's two aunts while her lawyer was seriously injured. It is also to be mentioned that the Central Bureau of Investigation had asked for maximum punishment for the expelled BJP MLA and the same has been awarded.
The case:
The Central Bureau of Investigation has sought maximum punishment for Sengar and demanded adequate compensation for the rape survivor.
Kuldeep Singh Sengar was found guilty of raping a minor girl in Uttar Pradesh in Unnao district, 2 years ago ,by Delhi's Tis Hazari Court and the order was reserved for Friday. The conviction was made by District Court Judge Dharmesh Sharma who, in his order, had observed that the CBI was able to prove the guilt of Kuldeep Singh Sengar beyond a reasonable doubt.
The CBI had asked the code to give maximum punishment of 'Life Term', prescribed under the law, to the politician saying it was a fight for justice of an individual against the system. The complainant had said the court must consider the 'cry of the girls in heinous crimes' before sentencing the Convict.
Public Prosecutor Ashok Bhartendu had stated in court, "the sentence must be commensurate with the gravity, seriousness and impact of the crime and its impact on the society at large. If we see the factual matrix of the case right from the beginning, it is a quest for justice of an individual against the system," whereas the counsel appearing for Sengar had, however, urged the court to give minimum punishment to him which is '10 year jail term' saying that he had no prior criminal record. Advocate Tanveer Ahmed Mir, appearing for Sengar, stated that the expelled BJP MLA had a political career without any blemish and added that the convict did not have a 'depraved mentality'. He said inside the court, "since 2002 till date Sengar had been elected repeatedly as a Member of the Legislative Assembly by the public. He does not have a political career with any blemish and thus, the court should consider the minimum punishment for the convict. Advocate Dhruv Gupta and Tushan Rawal also appeared for Sengar and said that the politician was 54 year old and had to minor daughters, the court should consider this points while pronouncing quantum of sentence.
It is to be mentioned that Delhi's Tis Hazari Court had on Monday last convicted Sengar for rape under the Indian penal Code and the POCSO Act for 'offence by a public servant committing penetrative sexual assault against a child' as the rape survivor was a minor when she was assaulted. Kuldeep Singh Sengar's co-accused Shashi Singh was, however, acquitted on the benefit of doubt. Singh was alleged to have taken the minor to Sengar on the pretext of helping her get a job. While Shashi Singh was let out by the court, Sengar has been convicted under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code and section 5(C) and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
It is to be mentioned that Kuldeep Singh Sengar was a four time BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Bangarmau. The politician has also been expelled from the party for being charged for raping the girl at his residence in Unnao in June 2017, where she had gone seeking a job. Sengar was arrested last year and is currently lodged in Tihar Jail.