Unnao rape case survivor claims facing smear campaign, seeks wider public support

Unnao: The Unnao rape case survivor has made an emotional appeal on social media seeking wider public support, disregarding caste barriers while claiming that she and her husband have been facing a smear campaign on the Internet recently.

This came days after the daughter of expelled BJP leader and a convict in the case, Kuldeep Sengar, claimed on X that her father was innocent and sought public support.

The case returned to the spotlight after the Delhi High Court suspended the jail term of Sengar, who is serving life imprisonment in the 2017 rape case, saying he has already served seven years and five months in prison. Amid a public outcry, CBI challenged the high court order in the apex court, which stayed the order.

In a recent video message, the rape case survivor claimed that she and her husband had been subjected to a smear campaign on social media over the past two days by people identifying themselves as Sengar's supporters.

She also alleged that a post was being circulated online claiming that a 'Kshatriya conference' in support of Sengar has been called at Jantar Mantar on January 11 by his daughters.

"I am also a daughter of the Kshatriya community. I am also a daughter of this country. Please become my voice. A criminal has no caste," the survivor said in the video message.

Reiterating her faith in the judicial process, the survivor urged society to stand with her in the pursuit of justice rather than rallying behind a convicted offender.

The Unnao rape case triggered nationwide outrage in 2017 after the survivor accused then BJP MLA Sengar of rape, and later alleged intimidation and harassment. The matter drew sustained attention following the death of the survivor's father.

The rape case and other connected cases were transferred to Delhi from a trial court in Uttar Pradesh on the directions of the Supreme Court on August 1, 2019.

Sengar's appeal against his conviction in the case of the custodial death of the survivor's father is also pending, where he has sought suspension of sentence on the ground that he has already spent a substantial time in jail.

In its plea filed in the apex court, the CBI referred to its verdict in the L K Advani case in which it held that anyone who holds public office, like MPs or MLAs, would be deemed a 'public servant'.

It contended that the high court erred by declaring that Sengar, an MLA when the offence was committed, was not a 'public servant' to be prosecuted under POCSO and granted him bail.