Kuldeep Singh Sengar charged with murder of Unnao rape victim’s father

Judge Sharma held that the planting of the pistol was the foundation of the father’s murder case.

“Request has been made by the CBI to conduct the proceedings in-camera due to the vulnerability of witnesses and threat perception looming large over them, arrangement be made for conducting a trial not just in-camera but also in a manner where a secure atmosphere is given so that they may depose in a manner they feel safe and secure,” the court said, adding it shall ensure appropriate measures in this regard for safety and security of the witnesses.

The court, however, has not yet passed an order to this effect.

The court also sent three policemen to judicial custody after their bail applications were dismissed. The development took place after they were all charged with murder.

Dharmender Kumar Mishra, counsel for the rape victim, submitted before the court that the policemen be taken into judicial custody. Bharat Dubey, counsel for one of the policemen, argued that this order was passed without a formal application, without time to reply. The judge asked him to file a bail application in the matter.

Mishra also told the judge that Sengar had made a gesture in which he traced his finger across his neck, signalling a threat to him. An application has been moved before the court and the CBI has been asked to conduct a threat perception in the case.

The court had said that on joining of charges in the planting of the weapon and the murder case, it can exercise suo motu power to amend the charges, coupled with the provision under Section 223 (d), a joint charge can be put on the accused persons.

As per the charges, Sengar was in Delhi and the three policemen in Unnao when they allegedly got into a criminal conspiracy to “deter, intimidate or silence the victim, her father from proceeding with the complaint of alleged rape”, and the victim, her parents and a sister along with a co-worker were allegedly assaulted by Sengar’s brother and four other accused to prevent them from proceeding to their house.

The court said Sengar was allegedly in touch with his brother and the other accused when the family of the victim was assaulted with leg and fist blows apart from rifle butts, in order to deter the father from pursuing the rape complaint, and that they agreed to falsely implicate him by planting a country-made pistol. “He (father of victim) was paraded naked, he sustained injuries in 18 places and the PM report mentioned 14 injuries. The father succumbed to his injuries and you all committed an offence under section 302 of IPC,” the judge said.