Unnao rape case: Accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar sent to seven-day police custody

BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is accused of raping a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district, was on Saturday sent to seven-day police custody.  The CBI has also arrested Shashi Singh, who allegedly took the woman to Sengar. The BJP MLA, who was on Friday arrested by the CBI, was produced before a Lucknow court earlier in the day where he claimed innocence and said he has ‘faith in the judiciary’, ANI reported. The victim, who arrived at the CBI zonal office in the city earlier in the day, was later taken to Ram Manohar Lohia hospital for medical examination. A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s assurance, the victim expressed her confidence in receiving justice. Breaking his silence over the issue, PM Modi had stated that the country’s “daughters” would “definitely get justice”. “I want to assure the country that no culprit will be spared, complete justice will be done. Our daughters will definitely get justice,” Modi told a rally in New Delhi. The alleged rape case came into the limelight after the victim tried to immolate herself outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence last week after alleging police inaction against the BJP MLA. The Uttar Pradesh government, which has been receiving flak over its handling of the issue, handed over the case of alleged rape and subsequent death of the victim’s father in judicial custody to the CBI. On Thursday, an FIR was filed against Kuldeep Singh Sengar and he was subsequently booked by the UP Police on various charges under the IPC, including rape, kidnapping and criminal intimidation. Meanwhile, Samajwadi Party chief and former chief minister Akhilesh Yadav held the state director general of police (DGP) and Principal Secretary (Home) responsible for “shielding” the accused MLA of the ruling party. “The DGP and the Principal Secretary (Home) were shielding the accused. The entire country has seen how they were referring to him (the MLA) as ‘mananiya’ (honourable) at a press conference,” Yadav told reporters at the SP office in Lucknow. “This government is perpetrating atrocities on the people and opposition party leaders,” he added. Source: Indian Express