Unnao rape case: Police detain Congress leader, activists protesting near Parliament

New Delhi: Delhi Police on Saturday detained activist Yogita Bhayana, Congress leader Mumtaz Patel and several other protesters who were staging a sit-in near the Parliament complex to oppose the suspension of the life sentence of Unnao rape convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar, an official said.

The protesters reached the area around 4 pm and sat on the road, raising slogans and demanding the cancellation of the bail granted to Sengar by the Delhi High Court last week, he said.

The police personnel announced through loudspeakers that the area near Parliament was not a designated place for protests and asked the demonstrators to disperse. When the protesters refused to vacate the spot, they were removed from the site and detained, the officials added.

The detention came a day after the Unnao rape survivor's mother, along with activists from the All India Democratic Women's Association and Yogita Bhayana, staged a protest outside the Delhi High Court. The survivor's mother had said she would approach the Supreme Court against the high court's order and expressed faith in the apex court.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday ordered the release of Sengar, an expelled BJP MLA, on bail pending disposal of his appeal against his conviction in the 2017 rape case. The court, however, imposed strict conditions, including barring him from entering within a five-kilometre radius of the victim's residence.

Sengar will continue to remain in jail as he is also serving a 10-year sentence in connection with the custodial death of the survivor's father and has not been granted bail in that case.