Ex-BJP MLA, and convict in the 2017 Unnao rape case, Kuldeep Singh Sengar was sentenced to life imprisonment by a Delhi Court on Friday, 20th December 2019.
A fine of Rs 25 lakh was also imposed on him, by District Judge Dharmesh Sharma. According to a tweet by Bar and Bench which reports on legal proceeding, “CBI Court also imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Sengar. As per the order, Rs 10 lakh out of this amount to be given to the victim and Rs 15 lakh to be settled towards prosecution expenses”.
Sengar, who was arrested last year for raping a minor girl, who had come to him, seeking a job, at his Unnao residence, was convicted for the same on Monday. He was charged with Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Panel Code, with Section 5 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault of a child) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO).
During the proceedings, CBI’s counsel, Ashok Bhartendu pushed the court for maximum punishment as he stated on Monday, “The court must consider the prolonged ordeal faced by the victim.”
Meanwhile, Sengar’s counsel, Tanveer Mir, requested the court to consider a softer punishment, as he had no criminal record prior to this case, and also asked the court to take into account his social work, and good conduct in Tihar jail.
The survivor and her family were assaulted several times since the incident came to light. In 2018, one day after the survivor tried to self immolate, outside the residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Yogi Adityanath, her father died in police custody under suspicious circumstances. He was denied treatment for several days and died as a result of internal injuries.
Additionally, the survivor, her lawyer and aunts were involved in an accident; a speeding truck driving in the wrong direction, crashed into their vehicle, in Gurubakshganj in Rae Bareli, about 60 kilometres from state capital Lucknow. The accident resulted in serious injuries for the survivor and her lawyer and the death of her two aunts.
The verdict and sentencing, in this case, have come as a huge sigh of relief, and a sign of hope for others who have gone through the same.