Unnao rape: Adityanath demands 1st SIT report by Wednesday evening; updates

With the Unnao rape case hanging fire over Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Samajwadi Party workers today protested for the immediate arrest of BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar

A girl's accusation that she was gang-raped by a Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator has triggered a political storm in Yogi Adityanath-governed Uttar Pradesh, even as police on Tuesday arrested Atul Singh, the brother of main accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, in connection with the Unnao rape case and the custodial death of the victim's father. Adityanath has directed the UP Home Department to ensure that the special investigation team (SIT), which has been formed to probe all allegations in the rape case, visits Unnao on Wednesday and submits its first report by the evening.    

The arrests, however, have not appeased the state's political opposition as Samajwadi Party workers in Gorakhpur protested against the alleged rape, demanding that the BJP legislator be arrested at the earliest. Further, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government over the death of the victim's father in judicial custody in Unnao and the related allegations. Meanwhile, Adityanath termed the incident unfortunate and announced that a top-ranking police official will probe the matter. Amid allegations of inaction by his state's police in the rape case and facing the shocking custodial death of the victim's father, Adityanath said that those behind the incident will not be spared at any cost.

Here are the top ten developments in the Unnao rape case and the custodial death of the victim's father:


1) SIT to submit first report by Wednesday evening: Chief Minister Adityanath has directed the UP Home Department to ensure that the SIT visits Unnao on Wednesday and submits its first report by the evening, reported news agency ANI.

SIT to probe all allegations in Unnao rape case: An SIT has been formed to probe all the allegations in the Unnao rape case. Speaking at a press conference in Lucknow after the MLA's brother was arrested in Unnao, ADG (Law and Order) Anand Kumar said, "The SIT will go into the entire gamut of issues involved in the incident." Kumar assured that action would be taken regarding the death of the victim's father in police custody as well.   

Further, Kumar said the SIT would be headed by the Additional Director General (ADG) of Police (Lucknow zone). The Superintendent of Police (crime branch) will be a member of the SIT, which will look into various aspects of the case and accordingly take action against those found guilty, he said. "The entire gamut of the complaint...will be factored in by the SIT and whatever legal actions can be taken, will be taken," added Kumar.  

2) All accused in death of Unnao rape case victim's father sent to jail: All five accused, including BJP MLA Sengar's brother, were sent to district jail in connection with the death of the Unnao rape victim's father, news agency ANI reported on Tuesday. The police will file a remand application tomorrow, the report said. Earlier, the five accused were produced before a court in Unnao.   

Unnao rape case victim's father dies in police custody: A day after the victim tried to set herself on fire outside Chief Minister Adityanath's residence, alleging police inaction in her gang rape by BJP MLA Sengar, her father died in police custody on Monday. Surendra Singh, whose daughter accused the BJP legislator from Unnao of raping her, was picked up by police late on Sunday and was apparently beaten mercilessly by four aides of the legislator as well as police personnel. An official said the man had serious injuries on his body and was not taken to a hospital until late at night. A doctor at the district hospital, where he was eventually taken, told the media that he was brought with serious abdominal pain and vomiting. Unnao Superintendent of Police Pushpanjali Devi said the four aides who took part in the beating have been arrested. 

Adityanath termed the incident unfortunate and announced that a top-ranking police official will probe the matter. Those behind the incident will not be spared at any cost, he added.  

3) BJP MLA's brother arrested in connection to Unnao rape case: Police today arrested Atul Singh, the brother of BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, in connection with the Unnao gang-rape in Uttar Pradesh and the custodial death of the victim's father. According to a police spokesperson, a crime branch team arrested Atul Singh on the directions of the state police chief. Earlier, four persons -- Sonu, Baua, Vinit, and Shailu -- named in the FIR registered on April 4 for beating up the woman's father had been arrested. 

The complaint was lodged by the woman's mother. Makhi police station SHO Ashok Kumar Singh and five other cops been suspended so far.   

Click here to read what the victim has to say about the Unnao rape case: Unnao rape case: BJP MLA Sengar killed my father, says victim; 10 updates 

4) 'SIT will reconstruct entire case': Asked about the possibility of any role of influential persons close to the MLA in the case, the ADG said, "The SIT will establish all that... As you know, the SHO of the police station and five other policemen have been suspended on grounds of dereliction of duty and mala fide considerations. The entire issue will be reconstructed and whoever is culpable and whosoever has tried to shield any person will be taken to task."

  

5) Police denies victim's father died in custody: As if the allegations of a gang-rape by an MLA of the ruling party in the state was not horrifying enough, media reports said the victim's father died in police custody. However, ADG Kumar said that the victim's father did not die in police custody. "Whatever incident of beating up the deceased took place, it occurred in the village. The police, in fact, admitted him to the hospital immediately. But, whether there has been impartial and proper investigation, all these facts will be probed by the SIT, which will holistically probe the entire issue and the guilty will be booked," Kumar said.  

6) SIT to interrogate BJP MLA; no clean chit to anyone: Asked whether a clean chit had been given to the accused BJP MLA, the ADG said that "nobody has given any clean chit to anybody". Kumar said that the investigation by the SIT would "establish the culpability of anyone and everyone who is involved in this episode", adding that action would be taken accordingly. "I can tell you that no guilty will be spared... The SIT will interrogate all the persons involved in this case, including the MLA."  

7) Unnao rape case victim's father died of shock and septicemia: Regarding the details of the death of the victim's father, Unnao Chief Medical Officer S P Chaudhary said, "The death may have been caused by shock and septicemia due to peritonitis (inflammation of the lining of the inner wall of the abdomen)." To a question whether the deceased suffered from colon perforation as a result of torture, Kumar said, "How colon perforation happened and where it happened is a matter of judicial inquiry."    

8) SP demands BJP MLA's immediate arrest: In Adityanath's erstwhile political bastion, Gorakhpur, Samajwadi Party workers today protested over the alleged rape by BJP MLA Sengar, news agency ANI reported. The protesters demanded that the MLA be arrested at the earliest.

In Lucknow, Samajwadi party workers protested in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue in Hazratganj over the death of the father of the Unnao gang-rape victim and demanded Sengar's arrest. 

9) NHRC issues notice to Adityanath government over Unnao rape case: Taking cognisance of the Unnao rape case, the National Human Rights Commission (NHRC) has issued a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government over the death of the rape victim's father in judicial custody in Unnao and related allegations, news agency ANI reported.

  

10) Accused of gang-rape, BJP's Sengar refuses to resign: BJP Unnao MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on Monday refused to resign from his post following the allegations of rape against him. Speaking to the media, Sengar said, "If somebody's name crops up into some issue does not mean that he shall resign". He further went on to dismiss the entire incident by saying that the allegations are completely wrong.

WATCH Unnao rape case: SP workers stage protest, demand strict action against BJP MLA 

 

With agency inputs