SC orders probe into delay in placing letter by Unnao rape victim before CJI

The Supreme Court Thursday ordered an inquiry by its Secretary General, under the supervision of a sitting top court judge, to find out within a week "any lapses or negligence" on part of the registry in placing before the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi the letter by the Unnao rape victim expressing danger to her life by accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

The apex court took note that letter dated July 12 had landed in the registry on July 17 but it was placed before the Chief Justice on the evening of July 30 after the media had already flashed reports about it.

The top court had on Wednesday taken cognizance of the letter written by the victim and other members of her family in which they had narrated the incident of July 7-8, when people allegedly associated with Sengar had threatened them with dire consequences. They had sought registration of FIR and police protection.

A bench of Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi and Justices Deepak Gupta and Aniruddha Bose said: "Insofar as the action of the Registry in not taking prompt action on the letter of the family of the victim is concerned, we direct an inquiry to be held by the Secretary General of this Court to find out whether there were any lapses or negligence on the part of any member of the Registry in processing the letter petition in question and placing the same before the Chief Justice on the administrative side."