The attempt to murder case, in which the girl’s uncle was convicted, dates back to 2000 panchayat elections in Unnao.The uncle of a minor girl, who was allegedly raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in Unnao, was convicted in a 19-year-old case of attempt to murder and sent to 10 years of imprisonment by a district court on Tuesday.
Notably, the case was filed by Sengar’s brother, Atul Singh, who is currently in judicial custody in connection with the murder of the alleged rape victim’s father. Sengar, the BJP MLA from Bangarmau, is also currently lodged in jail.
The attempt to murder case, in which the girl’s uncle was convicted, dates back to 2000 panchayat elections in Unnao.
According to additional district government counsel of Unnao, Ramjeevan Yadav, Atul Singh had got an FIR filed against the “rape victim’s” father and her two uncles in June 2000 on various charges, including attempt to murder. Atul Singh had alleged that when he was casting his vote in the panchayat elections, the girl’s father and her two uncles were “threatening” locals to cast votes in the favour of their candidate. “When Atul Singh objected, they allegedly started hurling abuses at him. Atul Singh did not react and started walking towards his house. When he was a few metres from his house, the three brothers came back and started threatening him and opened fire at him. However, Atul Singh managed to escape unhurt,” the government counsel said.
According to Yadav, the three brothers were arrested and later released on bail. “After obtaining bail, one of the three accused brothers went absconding. In 2002, a court in Unnao acquitted two of the three brothers, including the girl’s father, on benefit of doubt. The court, however, issued a warrant against the absconding brother,” he said.
Seven months after the alleged rape came to light after the minor girl tried to immolate outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence in Lucknow, the absconding accused brother was arrested. He was the only surviving accused. The alleged rape victim’s father had died days after the alleged rape case came to light.
