NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday sentenced disqualified UP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment, besides imposition of a fine of Rs 10 lakh for the death of Unnao rape victim’s father in custody, saying no leniency can be shown for killing a family’s sole bread earner.
The disqualified UP MLA has already been sentenced to the remainder of his natural biological life for raping the minor Unnao girl.
District Judge Dharmesh Sharma also awarded 10-year-jail term to Sengar’s brother Atul Singh Sengar and five others for their role in the custodial killing of the father of the rape victim.
The court, which did not hold the accused guilty of murder under the IPC, awarded maximum sentence for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder to convicts under section 304 of the IPC after holding that there was not intention to kill.
Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his brother will have to pay Rs 10 lakh each as fine within three months to legal heirs of the deceased, including the rape victim, as compensation.
“Considering the minor children (of the deceased) losing their father who was sole breadwinner of the family and keeping in mind the fact that the victim’s family has been uprooted from their native place, all the convicts in the case are being sentenced to maximum punishment,” the order reads.
The court further said Sengar and the co-convicts, two police officials, being public servants were supposed to uphold the law but there was no denying the fact that they broke the rule of law.
“The way crime has been committed, the victim’s father was beaten up and paraded, no leniency can be given to the convicts and therefore, I am sentencing all the convicts to the maximum punishment,” the judge said.
The court also directed the Uttar Pradesh government to take appropriate disciplinary proceedings for medical negligence against doctors who had treated the father when he was injured and in judicial custody. The father of the rape victim was arrested at the behest of Sengar in the Arms Act and had died in custody on April 9, 2018 owing police brutalities in custody.
AS THE CASE UNFOLDED
June 4, 2017: The 17-year-old girl allegedly raped by BJP MLA Sengar.
April 3, 2018: Rape survivor’s father beaten up and arrested in a false case of illegal arms allegedly at the behest of Sengar.
April 9: Rape survivor’s father dies in custody.
April 10: Allahabad HC transfers rape case to CBI.
December 16: Delhi court convicts Sengar for raping. Acquits co-accused Shashi Singh.
December 20: Sengar sentenced to life imprisonment by court, a fine of Rs 25 lakh imposed on him.
March 4: Delhi court convicts Sengar and six others for culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
March 13: Delhi court sentences Sengar and others to 10 years in prison, directs ex-MLA, his brother to pay Rs 10 lakh as compensation.