Unnao rape victim records statement, says has faith in CBI

The Unnao rape victim recorded her statement in a CBI court in Lucknow on Monday and said she had complete faith in the investigating agency, which registered a fourth FIR in the case to include charges of gang rape and kidnapping.

The Central Bureau of Investigation, which took over the probe from police, brought the woman from Unnao to present her in front of special judicial magistrate (CBI) Sapna Tripathi.

The statement was recorded under Section 164 of the criminal procedure code. Made under oath, such a statement can’t be retracted and if it is, then perjury charge can be brought. In rape cases, victims are often pressured into withdrawing the charge.

The main accused in the Unnao case is BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who represents Unnao’s Bangarmau in the assembly.

The statement was recorded for five hours behind closed doors and no one was allowed in the magistrate’s chamber as the woman’s mother, younger brother and CBI officials waited outside.

While leaving the court, the woman yelled out, “I have full faith in CBI and I will get justice.”

According to CBI sources, she narrated her ordeal and sequence of events that unfolded since June 4 last year when she was allegedly raped by Sengar.

The CBI team later left for Unnao with the woman. The team was likely to recreate the crime scene and also bring the victim and Sengar face-to-face.

The investigators were likely to take Shashi Singh, the woman accused by the victim’s mother of taking her daughter to Sengar’s residence, to Makhi, the victim’s village.

During the day, CBI also registered a case of gang rape and kidnapping, the fourth FIR in the case.

The first FIR, of rape, names Sengar and Sashi Singh. The second FIR accused the MLA’s brother and others of murdering the victim’s father when he was in judicial custody. The third FIR is against the victim’s father, who was arrested under the arms act and put behind bars by police in Unnao.

The woman was allegedly kidnapped from Makhi on June 11 and was found nine days later in Auraiya.

(With agency inputs)