Unnao rape: Accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar arrested by CBI

LUCKNOW: Taking over the probe in the Unnao rape case, the Central Bureau of  investigation (CBI) arrested main accused Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the BJP MLA from Bangarmau, late on Friday evening after he was detained by the probe agency in an early morning swoop down at his Lucknow residence.  Sengar is likely to be produced by the CBI in court on Saturday. 

Sengar was detained at 4:30 am and taken to the CBI Lucknow office for questioning immediately.
 “We have arrested Kuldeep Sengar on charges of prima facie rape. There are certain inconsistencies in statements over June 4, 2017 incident for which we require his custody. He will be produced before local CBI court in Lucknow on Saturday,” said a senior CBI source in Lucknow.

A 25-member CBI team took over the probe as early as 3 am apparently on the PMO's intervention, immediately after receiving the documents sent by the state government on Thursday night.

On Thursday, the Unnao police had lodged a case against Sengar for rape, kidnapping, abduction, inducing a woman to compel her for marriage and criminal intimidation. The Protection of Children against Sexual Offence (POCSO) Act was also slapped on him.

However, the CBI re-registered the FIRs lodged by the UP police and grilled the MLA (who is yet to be arrested).

Of  the three re-registered FIRs, the first pertains to the alleged rape of the girl in which Sengar and a woman were named as main accused. The second pertains to rioting, in which four locals, including Sengar's brother Atul Singh, were booked. It also mentions the alleged killing of the victim's father in judicial custody

However, as the murder charge against Atul was added later by the police, the second FIR does not reflect in the CBI's FIR. The third case pertains to the allegations against the victim's father who was arrested under Arms Act and put in jail where his health deteriorated resulting in his death at a district hospital. 

Sengar was asked 21 queries including whereabouts of his brother , Atul and another suspect Mahesh during the time of the incident. He was also asked about the  voice of the person in the audio tape going viral, how he came in contact with the survivor's family. The MLA was asked to answer if he called-up the police station after the case was registered against him. Call details of Sengar's mobile phone showed that he was constantly in touch with the Unnao police.

In Unnao, the CBI team questioned the aggrieved family members to establish the veracity of their statements and allegations. It also took six suspended policemen, including a SHO of Makhi police station, under its custody. The CBI team may meet the Unnao SP in connection with the case. Two suspended doctors of the Bangarmau hospital and three jail doctors were also questioned.