Unnao rape case: SC refuses to expand ambit of hearing, says only concerned with 5 cases

The Supreme Court on Tuesday refused to expand the ambit of the hearing in the Unnao rape case, saying that it is only concerned about the five cases between the victim's family and accused Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

A bench headed by Justice Deepak Gupta made the observation when the lawyer of the victim's family submitted there are around 20 cases against the family members and that status reports should be sought from the Uttar Pradesh government on those cases too.

The bench was also apprised that day-to-day trial is going on in the case.

The next hearing in the matter before the apex court will be on August 19.

Earlier, a Tis Hazari court here had ordered the framing of charges against Sengar, an MLA who has been expelled by the BJP.

District and Sessions Judge Dharmesh Sharma had ordered the framing of charges under various sections including rape, criminal conspiracy and kidnapping.

The judge had observed that charges be framed under relevant sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act as the victim was a minor at the time of the incident in 2017.

Sengar is accused of raping her at his residence in Unnao, where she had gone to seek a job.

Shashi Singh, another accused in the case, had allegedly lured the victim into going to Sengar's residence.

The duo was shifted to Tihar jail here on the direction of the Tis Hazari court.

Another case was registered against Sengar after the rape survivor met with an accident on July 28. A truck rammed into the vehicle in which the girl, her counsel and two aunts were travelling to Raebareli.

While her aunts succumbed to injuries, the victim and her lawyer sustained grave injuries and are currently undergoing treatment at All India Institute of Medical Sciences here.

The apex court had on August 1 ordered the transfer of all the cases related to matter to Delhi.