Unnao rape case: SC warns against political motives; adds judges ‘not sitting in ivory towers’ | India News
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday noted that some individuals are attempting to gain “political advantage” after lawyers for expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar claimed that allegations had been made against the Delhi high court judges who had suspended his life sentence in the Unnao rape case.“We understand it. We are not sitting in ivory towers. We understand that people are trying to take political advantage and there are people who are trying to take advantage,” said CJI Surya Kant, who was heading a three-judge vacation bench.
Senior advocate N Hariharan, representing Sengar, highlighted that certain individuals were making allegations against the high court judges who handled the case. He urged such persons to refrain from making statements or accusations against the judges, noting that a circulating video containing these allegations was a matter of concern.“They are doing that on national television,” Hariharan said, as cited by PTI.Another lawyer representing Sengar said that photographs of the high court judges were also being circulated. The bench noted that such actions overlook the fact that Sengar was convicted by the judiciary itself.“Very frankly, these judges are one of the finest we have,” said the bench, also comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, during the hearing.Later, when asked about the allegations against the judges, solicitor general Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, stated unequivocally that both the high court judges are “brilliant judges with unimpeachable integrity,” adding that any attempt to malign them must be strongly condemned, as cited by PTI. The Supreme Court stayed a Delhi high court order that had suspended Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s life sentence and granted him bail in the 2017 Unnao rape case. The apex court also issued a notice to Sengar, directing him to respond within four weeks to the CBI’s plea challenging the high court order.The high court had suspended Sengar’s sentence pending the outcome of his appeal against the 2019 trial court verdict in the rape case. However, he will remain in jail, as he is also serving a 10-year sentence in the custodial death case of the victim’s father and has not been granted bail in that matter.The survivor on Monday vowed to pursue the death penalty for Sengar and welcomed the Supreme Court’s decision to stay the Delhi High Court’s suspension of his life sentence.“I am very happy. I had faith in the Supreme Court. I will ensure that he is given a death sentence,” she said while speaking to reporters. The Unnao rape survivor, who was a minor in 2017, was allegedly abducted and sexually assaulted by Kuldeep Singh Sengar between June 11 and 20, and was later sold before being rescued from the Maakhi police station.
