Unnao gangrape: Timeline of a case that could dent UP CM Yogi Adityanath's claims of women safety

Lucknow: BJP MLA from Unnao Kuldip Singh Sengar, accused in a rape case, outside the office of the Senior Superintendent of Police in Lucknow on Wednesday night. PTI Photo by Nand Kumar(PTI4_12_2018_000002B)

An FIR has been registered against Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in connection with the gangrape of a 17-year-old girl in Unnao district. The report was lodged on Thursday morning and probe in the case has been transferred to the CBI.

Late on Wednesday night, the Yogi Adityanath government decided to hand over the probe to the investigative agency.

Here’s what happened in the case after the alleged rape in 2017:

June 4, 2017: A local girl in Unnao accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and his aides of raping her, while she had gone to meet him with a neighbour to seek his help in getting employment.

June 11, 2017: After the alleged rape, the girl went missing. On June 11, her family lodged a complaint with the local police.

June 20, 2017: Around 10 days after the complaint was filed, the girl was recovered from a village in Auraiya. She was brought to Unnao the next day.

June 22, 2017: The victim was produced in court by the police and her statement recorded under Section 164 of CrPC. However, several media reports state that the police allegedly did not allow her to name the MLA in her statement.

July 3, 2017: After nearly 10 days, the girl was handed over to her family. United with her kin, the girl alleged cops harassed her and started sending complaints to the Chief Minister’s Office and senior police officers seeking registration of rape case against the MLA and his brother Atul Singh.

February 24, 2018: Almost nine months after the alleged rape case, the victim’s mother moved the court of chief judicial magistrate (CJM), Unnao, and sought registration of FIR under Section 156 (3) of CrPC.

April 3, 2018: The case finally came to light this month when the court heard the mother’s plea. The victim’s father, along with the family, came down to Unnao to attend the hearing in the case. The same evening, he was assaulted by Atul Singh and his aides. Later, he was handed over to the police, which lodged a case under Section 25 for illegal possession of firearm.

April 8, 2018:  The girl attempted self-immolation at Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence in Lucknow, demanding FIR against the MLA.

April 9, 2018: The victim’s father died in police custody.

Meanwhile, the case took a political turn when the Opposition started taking jibes at Adityanath’s government over safety of women in his state. The BJP MLA, however, said he was innocent and the family was trying to malign him.

UP में अपनी बेटी के लिए न्याय की गुहार कर रहे एक पिता पर हुई बर्बरता ने मानवता को शर्मसार कर दिया है।

आशा है कि प्रधानमंत्रीजी भाजपा शासन में महिलाओं पर हो रहे अत्याचार, कानून तंत्र की विफलता और बढ़ती अराजकता के लिए भी जल्द ही उपवास रखेंगे। pic.twitter.com/MsXOW0QbPW

— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) April 11, 2018

April 11, 2018: Supreme Court decided to hear a plea for a CBI probe into the Unnao gangrape case.

Sangeeta Sengar, wife of MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, told reporters that there was a political conspiracy against her family and accused the complainant of not being consistent in her statements. She demanded a narco test on her husband and the survivor.

Late on Wednesday night, the state government decided to hand over the probe to the CBI.

Also read | MLA's wife seeks narco test, CBI probe

April 12, 2018: The police registered an FIR against Sengar in connection with the rape case. The FIR has been registered under sections 376 (rape), 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage), 363 (kidnapping) and 506 (criminal intimidation) at the Maksi police station, the officer said.

(With inputs from PTI)