SC to hear Unnao rape case on Thursday

Supreme Court Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi on Wednesday took suo moto cognisance of a letter written by the family of the Unnao rape victim alleging threats from Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldip Sengar's men. The court will hear the case on Thursday.

The court also summoned for the medical report of the victim. The court has also asked the Secretary General of the court to explain the reason for the delay in placing the letter before the Chief Justice, if it was indeed received on July 17.

The Chief Justice observed that the reports had emerged as if nothing was done on the letter received in the Supreme Court Registry on July 17.

Gogoi said the court will try to do something constructive "amid this highly destructive environment".

On Wednesday, the Chief Justice asked the court Registry to file a reply within a week as to why there was a delay in placing before him the July 12 letter written by the rape victim and her family seeking security.

In the letter to the CJI, the young rape victim, her mother, sister, uncle and aunt alleged that the henchmen of the accused, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, were threatening to implicate them in false cases if they did not settle the case.

The letter also contained a video recording of the criminal intimidation and the photographs of the accused.

On Sunday, the rape victim, who had accused Sengar of raping her in 2017, was travelling to Rae Bareli with her lawyer Mahendra Singh and two aunts when a truck being driven on the wrong side hit them.

While the rape victim and her lawyer are on life support, her two aunts in the car, including one who was a witness to the crime, died in the accident.