'Kaal' for my family: Unnao rape survivor on suspension of Sengar's jail term; to move SC

Unnao/Ballia (UP), Dec 24 (PTI) The 2017 Unnao rape survivor on Wednesday termed the Delhi High Court's decision to suspend the jail term of the accused, expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, "kaal" (death) for her family and said she would move the Supreme Court against it.

Meanwhile, women's rights activist Yogita Bhayana, who staged a protest with the rape survivor's mother at India Gate on Tuesday night, shared a video on X, in which the rape survivor was purportedly heard saying that she had left home in the morning to meet her lawyer but Central Reserve Police force (CRPF) personnel tried to send her back home.

"I was shouting that I need to visit my lawyer. I was shouting in the vehicle as well and then an order came from the top to take me (to meet my lawyer)," she said.

"All I want is justice," she added.

Bhayana also claimed that the rape survivor was injured in the melee.

Reacting to the Unnao rape survivor's ordeal, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said India is not just becoming a dead economy but also a dead society.

"Is such treatment of a gang rape survivor appropriate? Is it her 'fault' that she has the courage to raise her voice for justice? "The fact that her perpetrator (former BJP MLA Sengar) has been granted bail is extremely disappointing and shameful -- especially when the survivor is being repeatedly harassed and is living under the shadow of fear," the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha said in a post in Hindi on X.

"Bail for rapists and treating survivors like criminals -- what kind of justice is this? We are not just becoming a dead economy -- with such inhuman incidents, we are also turning into a dead society," he said.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday suspended the sentence of Sengar, who is serving a life term in the case, and ordered his release on bail pending the disposal of his appeal against his conviction by a trial court in December 2019.

In its order, the high court directed that Sengar shall not come within a five-kilometre radius of the victim's residence and threaten the survivor or her mother. It also said a violation of the conditions would automatically lead to the cancellation of his bail.

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

Reacting to the verdict, the survivor, who was a minor when she was kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017, told PTI over the phone from Delhi that security for her family members, lawyers and witnesses has already been withdrawn and the court's decision has only deepened her fears.

"If the convict gets bail in a case like this, how will the country's daughters remain safe? For us, this decision is no less than 'kaal' (death)," she said.

"Those with money win, those without money lose," she rued.

The survivor, who staged a protest with her mother near Mandi House here against the verdict, added that she would challenge the high court order in the Supreme Court.

Bhayana also shared an audio clip of her phone conversation with the rape survivor from earlier in the day.

In the clip, the rape survivor is heard saying that she was not being allowed to go and meet her lawyer and that the security personnel were taking her back home. Bhayana then asks her to get off the vehicle and tell the security personnel that she will not go with them.

The rape survivor also claimed that her mother was thrown in the middle of the road after being removed from India Gate during her protest on Tuesday.

A senior police officer, however, said, "We removed the protesters from the site around 8:45 pm on Tuesday and put them in a CRPF bus. No further action was taken." Bhayana told PTI Videos that the survivor is scared for her life.

The Unnao rape case and other connected cases were transferred from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi on the directions of the Supreme Court in August 2019.

Meanwhile, the mother of the 2012 Nirbhaya gang-rape victim, Asha Devi, extended support to the Unnao rape survivor and her family. She said the high court's decision to grant bail to Sengar was "unfortunate" and would send a "wrong message" to the society.

Talking to PTI, she said granting bail to a life convict in a rape case would embolden wrongdoers and weaken people's faith in the justice system.

"How can such a person be released? This will open the doors for other rape accused to approach courts for bail. It gives strength to those who commit such crimes," she said, adding that the decision would adversely impact the safety of women and girls across the country.

Asha Devi said the protests against the high court verdict are justified and urged the court to reconsider its order.

"The victim's family wants justice. What has happened is injustice not only to them but to all daughters and women of this country," she said. PTI COR CDN SLB RC