New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Thursday directed the CBI to complete its investigation into the Unnao case within seven days, after it was informed of the agency’s investigation. The court also announced its intention to transfer all the Unnao cases from Lucknow to Delhi, and will pass an order at 2 pm.
The matter was listed for Thursday after news surfaced that the rape survivor had written a letter to Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi two weeks before her car was rammed by a truck, leaving her in critical condition. While the letter apparently never reached the CJI, solicitor general Tushar Mehta explained that the delay was because the court’s secretary general had to screen almost 7,000 letters petitions. The identity of the victim was also not known, he said.
Heading a bench, CJI Gogoi sought full details of the CBI’s probe by 12 pm on Thursday, and said if the investigating officers cannot disclose details in open court, then they would be heard in chambers. However, the court was briefed in open court. The CBI informed the apex court that four FIRs had been filed. In three of these cases, the CBI has filed the chargesheet and is typing out the fourth, the court was informed.
CJI Gogoi then asked if there was a possibility to move the rape survivor and her lawyer, who are in a critical condition, via an air ambulance. Based on the information the court receives, it will take a decision on this issue.
Earlier, the bench asked that a “responsible” investigating CBI officer be present before it by 12 pm to brief the court. Solicitor general Tushar Mehta informed the court that the investigating officers were in Lucknow and could not appear before the court by 12 pm. He sought an adjournment, but the CJI denied the request. The bench instead asked the CBI director to gather the details from the investigating officers and then brief the court.
The 19-year-old woman was allegedly raped two years ago by Sengar at his residence in Unnao. On Sunday, she was travelling with her family members and lawyer when their car was hit by a speeding truck in the northern state’s Rae Bareli district. Two of her aunts were killed in the incident, while she and her lawyer are seriously injured.
The woman’s family has filed a complaint alleging “conspiracy” behind the car crash. While the state police initially filed an FIR against Sengar and nine others for murder, the case was transferred to the CBI. The CBI has charged 25 people, including for murder and conspiracy.
UP minister’s son-in-law charged
The CBI has meanwhile filed an FIR against the son-in-law of UP’s agriculture minister for murder and conspiracy. Apart from suspended BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the main accused, and his associates, Arun Singh, UP agriculture minister Ranvendra Pratap Singh’s son-in-law, has been charged by the investigative agency for conspiring and orchestrating the collision in which the Unnao rape survivor was critically injured.
According to the Indian Express, a CBI team and forensic experts visited the spot where the collision took place and collected samples.
Arun Singh is the block pramukh of the Nawabganj panchayat samiti in Unnao. Singh told The Hindu he was “innocent”. “I have never seen the victim and I don’t even know where their house is,” he told the newspaper, claiming that he had not met Sengar in more than six months. He also stated his readiness to “undergo a narco test and cooperate with any agency”.
According to the Indian Express, BJP’s UP state spokesperson Harish Srivastava said, “After Yogi Adityanath took the oath, he said that from now on “aam” and “khaas” would be same in the eyes of the law. The BJP government stands with that statement. No matter how influential someone is, if they are found involved in crime then action will be taken against them as per the provisions of the law.”
