Unnao rape case: SIT visits victim's village, BJP MLA's wife seeks CBI probe

The Special Investigation Team (SIT), formed to probe Unnao rape case and the suspicious death of the 18-year-old rape victim's father in custody, today inspected the site of the alleged crime to begin fresh investigation in the case. 

The SIT has been asked to submit a preliminary report before Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath by today evening.

The SIT headed by Additional Director General of Police (Lucknow zone) visited ​Unnao's Makhi village of the rape victim and collected information to submit a report to the chief minister. The probe team visited the crime scene and the tree where the rape victim’s father was tied up and beaten.

"The SIT team will probe on all the aspects of the case and act accordingly. Security has been provided to the victim's family," ADGP (Lucknow zone) Rajiv Krishna said.

The SIT talked to the rape victim, her mother, uncle and other family members and also to the suspended and other policemen posted at Makhi Police Station. They also visited the jail and Unnao District Hospital and recorded statements of jail staff, three doctors who performed post mortem on father of the rape victim, who died in police custody.

“We have recorded statements of those related with the case. We are working independently in case under no pressure. As directed, the SIT will submit its preliminary report by late tonight to the Chief Minister’s office,” said the ADG. He, however, refused to share any details related to SIT investigation.

Speaking to reporters in Lucknow, Pravin Kumar, DIG (Law and Order), said the probe team visited the site of the alleged crime and recorded statements of people from victim's side. 

The SIT also collected information from local police officers, he said.  

"Further actions will be initiated after presenting preliminary report before the DGP," he said. 

The 18-year-old victim has alleged she was gangraped by Bangermau BJP legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his brothers. The victim's father died in custody in Unnao yesterday, prompting the woman to charge that he was killed inside the district jail at the behest of the BJP legislator.

The police yesterday arrested Atul Singh, brother of the BJP legislator, in connection with the gangrape.

The woman, who had tried to kill herself outside the Chief Minister's house two days ago, has alleged that she had been confined to a hotel room by the district administration and her uncle was killed by the MLA's brother and henchmen, who later also killed her father.

She said, "I want justice, why are they pressuring me for an apology? Do they want my (another) uncle to be killed too?" A purported video also surfaced today and was being run on TV channels showing the alleged rape survivor's father before his death saying that he was mercilessly beaten up by the MLA's brother and others, including with rifle butts.

The video, purportedly shot at a hospital, showed the deceased person's back with serious wounds.

Meanwhile, Sengar's wife, who met UP DGP OP Singh in Lucknow today, demanded a CBI probe into the matter. She also asked for a narco test on her husband and the survivor.

Sangeeta Sengar told reporters that there was a political conspiracy against her family and accused the complainant of not being consistent in her statements.

"We demand that a narco test be conducted on my husband and the girl as well as her uncle. This will help in ascertaining the truth and presenting the correct picture.

"We have full sympathy with the girl, as her modesty was outraged... There are political reasons behind this and my husband has been made a pawn," Sangeeta Sengar said.

"My husband is innocent and it is my request that he should not be called a rapist. He has been in politics for the past 15 years and has been serving the society and people," she said, adding, her daughters were unable to concentrate on their studies in the wake of this incident.

She said the allegations against her brother-in-law Atul were false too.

On whether her husband should resign from the UP Assembly, she retorted, "Why should he quit even before he is declared guilty? Merely on the basis of charges, why should he resign?" She said she wanted to meet Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and apprise him of the facts.

Besides the MLA's wife, the alleged rape victim has also demanded a CBI probe in the entire matter.

The victim claimed that the district administration in Unnao had virtually confined her to a hotel room "without a phone or water and guards at every corner".

"I can't charge my mobile, there is no TV, no water. We are told we can't go outside," the girl told a TV news channel.

"We are told we can't go outside, there are guards at every corner. When we ask them for help, they say it isn't their job. Is this justice?" the girl said.

The MLA's brother Atul was arrested yesterday from Unnao by a crime branch team.

TV news channels ran the comments made purportedly by the alleged victim's father before his death in which he claimed that he was mercilessly beaten up by the MLA's brother.

The Supreme Court said today it will hear next week the plea for a CBI probe into the case. Taking cognisance of the matter, the Allahabad High Court today ordered that the body of the victim's father should not be cremated, if already not done so.

However, the mortal remains of the deceased were consigned to the flames yesterday, hours after his custodial death.

"If the body has not been cremated, then it shall not be cremated," a bench of Chief Justice D B Bhosale and Justice Suneet Kumar court said.

The court took cognisance of the matter on a letter to the court by senior lawyer Gopal Swaroop Chaturvedi detailing the incident. Chaturvedi also demanded fair investigation in the heinous crime and later, on the death of the victim's father.

The Congress demanded the dismissal of Uttar Pradesh chief minister, dubbing his government a "Ravan" regime which has failed to protect women.

"Yogi Adityanath government is a government of Ravan, which has failed to protect women," Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala said in New Delhi. 

(With PTI inputs)