Unnao Rape Case: Congress Slams Delhi HC Decision Granting Relief to Kuldeep Singh Sengar
Supriya Shrinate calls suspension of Sengar’s sentence a setback to justice for women, urges judiciary to reconsider
New Delhi, Dec 25: Congress leader Supriya Shrinate on Wednesday strongly condemned the Delhi High Court’s decision to suspend the sentence of Kuldeep Singh Sengar, convicted in the 2017 Unnao rape case, calling the order “deeply disturbing” and a blow to justice for women.
Speaking out against the court’s decision, Shrinate questioned how a person sentenced to life imprisonment for rape and murder could be granted bail within six years. “What kind of justice is this? Will there be justice for daughters in this country?” she asked, expressing anguish over the suspension.
Background of the Unnao Case
The 2017 case involved a minor girl who accused then-BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar of rape. The case later expanded to include allegations of intimidation against the survivor’s family, the custodial death of her father, and a suspicious car crash that killed her aunt. The case sparked nationwide outrage and prompted a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe. Sengar was eventually convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment, marking a rare instance of accountability involving a powerful political figure.
A Setback to Justice
Recalling the protests at India Gate during the peak of the case, Shrinate described the treatment of the survivor and her mother by authorities as “brutal” and “inhuman,” calling it a “slap in the face of a civilised society.”
Congress Appeals to Judiciary
Shrinate directly appealed to the judiciary to reconsider the decision, urging the court to take suo motu cognisance of the matter. “As a woman, as a mother, I appeal that the court should reconsider this matter,” she said, warning that such orders risk eroding public faith in the justice system.
