The Delhi High Court on Tuesday suspended the life sentence awarded to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by the trial court in the Unnao rape case.
A bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar released Sengar on bail while directing him to furnish a personal bond of Rs 15 lakh with three sureties of the like amount. The high court also directed Sengar not to come within a 5 km radius of the victim's house and not threaten her or her mother.
"Violation of any of the conditions would lead to cancellation of bail," the court said.
The rape survivor, on Tuesday evening, sat on the lawns of the India Gate and staged a protest against the HC's order. "I wanted to kill myself then and there, but I stopped after thinking about my family," she said.
The survivor, accompanied by her mother and women's rights activist Yogita Bhayana, said the court's decision has left her feeling unsafe and betrayed by the system.
Speaking to ANI, she said, “Injustice has been done to us. Elections are coming and he has been released on bail so that his wife can contest the polls,” she said. “If such a rape accused comes out, how will we be safe?"
Despite her anguish, the survivor said she still believed in the judicial process and would approach the Supreme Court.
The survivor's sister also spoke out against the bail order and said, "I'm not happy about this. He killed my uncle and then my father. Then this incident happened with my sister. He has been released, but we're still in danger. Who knows, now that they're out, they might kill me and my entire family. If they've released him, then they should put us in jail. At least our lives would be safe there. We would be alive. My sister is in distress that he has been granted bail. My family is still in danger. There are small children. I have a brother. Who knows what they might do to him? Many of their men are roaming around outside, giving threats, saying, "Now that he is coming back, what can you do to me? I'll kill each and every one of you." We receive these kinds of threats, that's why I live in fear..."
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