SC Takes Suo Moto Cognizance Of Letter By Unnao Rape Survivor; Matter To Be Heard Tomorrow

Deciding to consider the Unnao tragedy on the judicial side, the CJI-led bench of the Supreme Court on Wednesday took suo moto cognizance of the letter sent to CJI Ranjan Gogoi by the family of the Unnao rape survivor seeking protection from threats and intimidation by the accused. 

The CJI also sought a report from the Secretary General as to why the letter sent on July 12 was not brought to his notice until Tuesday afternoon.

"Unfortunately, I was informed about the letter yesterday and I am yet to see it. Newspapers have reported as if no action was taken by the CJI.We will try to do something about this highly volatile situation. List the matter tomorrow", the CJI said.

In the letter dated July 12, the rape survivor's family complained that they were facing threats and intimidation from henchmen engaged by the accused and pleaded for providing adequate security. The letter stated that it was annexing a video-recording of the criminal intimidation and the photographs of the aggressors.

On Sunday, a truck rammed into the car in which the rape survivor was travelling near Rae Bareilly, killing her two aunts and leaving her and her lawyer critically injured.

Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the BJP MLA who is the prime accused in the rape case,  has been booked for murder and criminal conspiracy in connection with the accident, even as the victim battles for her life.

The allegation is that Sengar, a four-time MLA who represents Bangermau in the UP assembly, raped the teenage girl at his home in 2017. Sengar was arrested on April 13, 2018, after the rape survivor held protests outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence in Lucknow.

Before that, her father was arrested and sent to jail in connection with an Arms Act case and died in custody, allegedly due to torture. A key witness in the case died months later, under mysterious circumstances. The uncle of the survivor is lodged in jail, and the tragedy on Sunday happened when the survivor and family had gone to meet him.