Kuldeep Sengar targeted as part of ‘conspiracy’: Brij Bhushan defends Unnao rape convict after sentence suspension

Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh

• Brij Bhushan Singh defends Kuldeep Sengar, calls conviction a conspiracy
• Delhi High Court suspended Sengar's sentence pending appeal in Unnao rape case
• Singh supports Brahmin legislators' meet, says such gatherings are acceptable

Did our AI summary help?

BJP leader and former MP Brij Bhushan Sharan Singh has come out in defence of Unnao rape case convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar, alleging that he was targeted as part of a “conspiracy”. Responding to the Delhi High Court’s order granting him bail, Singh questioned why the judiciary is praised when it delivers a conviction but criticised when it suspends a sentence.

In a podcast with UP Tak, Singh took a sharp stance on the protests that have erupted after Sengar’s sentence was suspended. “Who gave the punishment? The court. And who suspended the sentence? The court. When Kuldeep Sengar was sentenced by the court, the decision was respected and appreciated. Now, when the court has suspended the sentence of Kuldeep Sengar, you are raising questions on this. This means you do not trust the court,” he said.

On December 23, the high court suspended the jail term of Sengar, serving life imprisonment in the Unnao rape case, saying he has already served seven years and five months in prison.

Sengar's sentence has been suspended by the high court till the pendency of his appeal challenging his conviction and sentence in the rape case. He has challenged a December 2019 trial court verdict in the case.

He will, however, remain in jail since he is also serving 10 years' imprisonment in the custodial death case of the victim's father and has not been granted bail in that case.

On Brahmin legislators meet in Lucknow

Reacting to BJP MLAs and MLCs meet in Lucknow, which included mostly Brahmins, Singh said that there was nothing wrong in such gatherings.

“There is nothing wrong with these kind of meetings. Such meetings should be held,” he said, adding that he believes Brahmin MLAs shall not be punished in any way for the meet.

The comments followed a firm warning from the Uttar Pradesh BJP leadership on Thursday against caste-based mobilisation within the party, which it said contravenes its constitution and values. The stern response came after a group of BJP MLAs and MLCs held a dinner meeting in Lucknow this week, sparking speculation over alleged bias against the Brahmin community.