Bharatiya Janata Party MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar has been booked for allegedly raping a teen girl and after facing a backlash from all quarters, the Yogi Adityanath-led government has referred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).
The incident made headlines after the 18-year-old girl's self-immolation attempt and her father's death in judicial custody. The government has also constituted a special team to probe into the death of the girl's father.
The girl had registered a complaint claiming that Sengar had raped her in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh's Unnao district last year. She had attempted self-immolation outside the UP CM's residence last week. On the same day, her family members had also clashed with the BJP MLA's supporters.
On April 11, Sengar was booked under various sections of Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
#WATCH UP DGP OP Singh addresses BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger as 'Mananiye (honourable)', later clarifies after objection by journalists, 'there is no harm in giving respect to an MLA even if he is an accused, he is not guilty yet' pic.twitter.com/OEVmd4zvXF
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 12, 2018
Scuffle between media persons and supporters of Unnao BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Senger outside SSP office in Lucknow. pic.twitter.com/R0X2zxkTtk
— ANI UP (@ANINewsUP) April 11, 2018
Quick facts:
- On April 8, an 18-year-old girl stood outside Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath's house claiming that she was raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar in May 2017
- The girl tried self-immolation outside the chief minister's house
- The alert police personnel thwarted her suicide bid by overpowering her
- She was taken to her village along with a few police officers to ensure her safety
- Soon after the allegations were made public, Sengar refuted the claims and said that it was a ploy to malign his reputation
- The girl told ANI: "I was raped. I have been going from pillar to post for one year but no one listened to me. I want all of them arrested otherwise I will kill myself. I had even gone to the CM with no result. When we lodged FIR we were threatened"
- The victim alleged that her father was beaten up by unknown assailants in the past
- The girl's father alleged that he was assaulted by Sengar's supporters
- He died April 9 while being kept in judicial custody
- Atul Sengar, the BJP lawmaker's brother, was arrested in connection with the death of the girl's father
- A case was registered against Kuldeep at the Makhi police station in Unnao April 11.
- Sengar was booked under various sections of IPC and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act
- The UP government referred the case to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI)
- Aditynath also appointed a special team to probe into the death of the girl's father
