Why has Unnao rape accused been given political protection, asks Priyanka

In an apparent attack at the BJP, Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra on Tuesday asked why people like BJP MLA and rape accused Kuldeep Singh Sengar are given the "protection of political power", while their victims are abandoned to battle for their lives alone.

Priyanka Gandhi's poser in a tweet came a day after the Uttar Pradesh police filed a murder case against Sengar and nine others following a complaint by the Unnao rape survivor's family, alleging "conspiracy" behind the Sunday's car crash in which the victim was severely injured and two of her family members were killed.

The Congress leader also tagged portions of the FIR filed along with the tweet.

"Why do we give people like Kuldeep Sengar the strength and protection of political power and abandon their victims to battle for their lives alone?" Priyanka Gandhi tweeted.

"This FIR clearly states that the family was threatened and apprehensive. It even mentions the possibility of a planned accident," she said, tagging a copy of the FIR.

Unnao Superintendent of Police Madhav Prasad Verma had said on Sunday that the rape survivor, her paternal and maternal aunts along with their advocate met with an accident while on their way to meet her uncle, who is lodged in Rae Bareli jail.

A woman belonging to Makhi police station area in Unnao had alleged that Sengar, a four-time MLA who represents Bangermau in the UP Assembly, raped her teenage daughter at his residence in 2017.

The case had come to light after the victim allegedly attempted self-immolation outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence.

Sengar, who is an accused in the rape case, was arrested on April 13 last year.