Police remove Unnao rape survivor from protest site after Sengar gets bail

While sitting on the India Gate premises, the survivor alleged that Sengar's bail was granted ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, scheduled in 2027

Hours after former Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was granted bail in connection with the 2017 Unnao rape case, the survivor, her mother and activist Yogitha Bhayana held a protest at India Gate on Tuesday. The protesters were later removed by the Delhi Police.

 

The survivor alleged the bail was granted ahead of the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, scheduled for 2027. She called for the bail order to be cancelled, saying she was scared after the court’s decision. 

 

Speaking to ANI, she said: “I heard the judgment, and I felt very bad. I wanted to kill myself then and there, but I stopped after thinking about my family. Injustice has been done to us. Elections are coming, and he has been released on bail so that his wife can contest the polls. If such a rape accused will come out, how will we be safe?”

 

She also said she would approach the Supreme Court. “Everyone has become unsafe. His bail should be cancelled, and he should be sent to jail. We will go to the Supreme Court. I have faith in the Supreme Court. We are scared that he has been released,” she said.

    

Bhayana, who was present at the protest along with the survivor and her mother, said the family had been fighting the battle alone and questioned the grounds on which Sengar was granted bail. She alleged that the family had faced difficulties since the beginning and were now under threat after the bail order.

 

What did the Delhi High Court say while granting bail to Sengar? 

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court granted bail (suspension of sentence) to Sengar, stating that he had already served seven years and five months in prison. The court suspended his sentence pending the hearing of his appeal challenging his conviction and sentence in the rape case. He has challenged a December 2019 trial court verdict.

 

However, Sengar will remain in jail since he is also serving a 10-year imprisonment term in the custodial death case of the survivor’s father and has not been granted bail in that case.

 

Suspending his sentence, the court directed him not to come within a five-km radius of the survivor’s residence in Delhi and not to threaten her or her mother. “Violation of any of the conditions would lead to cancellation of bail,” the court said.