The Supreme Court granted the Unnao rape survivor a final chance to respond to the Centre’s request to remove her CRPF security, with the next hearing scheduled for March 25.
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted a last opportunity to the Unnao rape survivor to respond to the Centre’s plea seeking to remove the CRPF security cover provided to her and her family.
A bench comprising Justices Bela M Trivedi and Prasanna B Varale was hearing a suo motu case when the Centre argued that the rape survivor and her family members no longer required CRPF security cover.
“Last opportunity is granted to her to file the response to the application. List it for hearing on March 25,” the bench stated.
Advocate Mehmood Pracha, who had previously represented the survivor, also said that he did not require CRPF security cover.
The bench expressed displeasure when another lawyer appeared in court on behalf of the rape survivor and requested additional time to respond to the Centre’s plea.
Advocate Rajat Nair, representing the Centre, stated that the trial in the cases was transferred to Delhi, and the rape survivor and her family members were no longer residing in the capital.
According to a threat assessment report, the CRPF security cover was deemed unnecessary.
Expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar was convicted for raping the minor girl in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, in 2017, and is serving a life term in prison.
On August 1, 2019, the Supreme Court directed the CRPF to provide security to the rape survivor, her mother, other family members, and their lawyer.
The apex court transferred all five cases related to the rape incident from Lucknow to Delhi and instructed a designated special court to conduct daily hearings and complete the trial within 45 days.
The court had also ordered the Uttar Pradesh government to provide Rs 25 lakh as interim compensation to the survivor.
Sengar has challenged the trial court’s December 2019 verdict, which sentenced him to life imprisonment. His appeal remains pending in the Delhi High Court.
On March 13, 2020, Sengar was sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment in connection with the custodial death of the survivor’s father.
The father was arrested under the Arms Act and died in judicial custody on April 9, 2018.
The trial court found the accused guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder and awarded the maximum sentence under Section 304 of the IPC, concluding that while there was no intention to kill, the actions led to his death.
The Supreme Court will now hear the case on March 25, where the rape survivor’s response on the security issue will be considered.
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