Unnao Rape Case Victim Challenges Court's Decision on Kuldeep Singh Sengar's Bail

Victim's Response to Court Ruling

The victim of the 2017 Unnao rape case expressed her dismay on Wednesday regarding the Delhi High Court's decision to suspend the sentence of BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar. She described the ruling as a 'death' sentence for her family and announced plans to appeal to the Supreme Court. The High Court granted Sengar bail while suspending his life sentence, despite his pending appeal against a December 2019 verdict. The court imposed strict conditions for his release, including a prohibition on entering within five kilometers of the victim's residence and any form of intimidation towards her or her mother, warning that any breach would result in automatic cancellation of bail.

Continued Incarceration and Victim's Concerns

Despite the bail, Sengar will remain in prison as he is serving a ten-year sentence for the death of the victim's father while in custody, for which he has not been granted bail. Reacting to the ruling, the victim shared her fears over the safety of her family, lawyers, and witnesses, whose protection has already been revoked. She questioned how daughters in the country could feel safe if those guilty in such cases are granted bail, stating, 'For us, this decision is nothing less than death.'

Protests and Advocacy for Justice

The victim, accompanied by her mother, planned to protest near Mandi House against the court's decision and confirmed her intention to challenge the High Court's ruling in the Supreme Court. Activist Yogita Bhayana, who protested with the victim's mother at India Gate late Tuesday, shared a video on social media where the victim accused security personnel of harassment. In the video, the victim recounted that she had left home earlier to meet her lawyer regarding documents for filing a petition in the Supreme Court but claimed that CRPF personnel attempted to forcibly send her back home.