The sister of the Unnao rape survivor voiced strong criticism and deep-seated fear on Tuesday after the Delhi High Court granted bail to convict and former BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, suspending his life sentence in the harrowing case. She asserted that Sengar's release poses a direct threat to her family's lives, recounting the tragic history of loss they have endured.
Family's Anguish and Fear for Safety
In an emotional statement to news agency ANI, the woman expressed her distress and sense of injustice. "I am not happy about this. He killed my uncle and then my father. Then this incident happened with my sister," she stated, highlighting the series of tragedies linked to Sengar. She poignantly added that while the court has freed Sengar, it should consider putting her family behind bars for their own "safety."
Detailing the pervasive atmosphere of intimidation, she said, "Many of their men are roaming around outside, threatening us. If we dare file a police complaint, they will kill us. That is why we do not leave our home out of fear." She questioned the court's ability to guarantee their security, asking who would take responsibility if any harm befell her brother or other family members.
Court's Bail Order and Conditions
The bail was granted by a Delhi High Court bench comprising Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar. The court suspended Sengar's sentence for the duration of the pendency of his appeal, which challenges his December 2019 conviction and life sentence by a trial court for kidnapping and raping a minor girl in Unnao in June 2017.
The bail comes with strict conditions, including:
- Furnishing a personal bond of Rs 15 lakh with three sureties of the same amount.
- Not entering within a five-kilometre radius of the survivor's residence.
- Refraining from threatening or influencing the survivor or her mother.
Case Background and Pending Appeals
This case has a complex legal history. Notably, the Supreme Court had transferred the rape case and related matters from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi on August 1, 2019. Sengar's legal battles are not over. A separate appeal against his conviction in the case relating to the custodial death of the survivor's father is also pending before the High Court. In that case, he was sentenced to 10 years' imprisonment and has sought suspension of that sentence, citing the substantial time already spent in jail.
The survivor's family continues to live in a state of apprehension, their sense of security shattered despite the legal conditions imposed, underscoring the profound human cost of such crimes and the ongoing challenges in ensuring justice and protection for victims.
