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Unnao minor’s rape case: Accused BJP MLA yet to be arrested, Case handed to CBI

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Unnao minor's rape case: Accused BJP MLA yet to be arrested, Case handed to CBI

[vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]Uttar Pradesh (UP) Police have finally registered a case against BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar for rape of a minor (17-year-old) girl last year.

However, the accused MLA has not been arrested yet.

The girl had tried self-immolation in front of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath‘s residence after failing to get justice. At this, the UP police arrested her father who later died in police custody on Monday.

As the case got wide media coverage leading to massive outrage, putting the BJP on the defensive, on Wednesday night the Adityanath government ordered to hand over the twin cases of rape and the custodial death of the victim’s father to the CBI.

The accused MLA, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, was then booked under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act in a FIR registered at Unnao’s Makhi Police Station on Thursday morning, said media reports.

On Thursday, UP police chief, Director General of Police (DGP) OP Singh, addressing a conference with Principal Secretary (Home) Arvind Kumar, said that if Sengar was to be arrested, it would be done by the CBI and not UP Police. “Now that the case has been given to CBI, they will decide on arrest,” said Singh.

“Meanwhile, the SIT constituted will continue to work till the time the CBI takes over the case,” he said.

“Nobody is defending the honourable MLA, all we are saying is that we have to hear both sides,” he said. “He has only been accused so far and not convicted,” he added.

Also present in the media conference was the home secretary of the state, Arvind Kumar, who accused UP police of being “negligent”. “The state police has been lax in carrying out investigation so far,” said Kumar.[/vc_column_text][vc_column_text css=”.vc_custom_1523523927220{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #a2b1bf !important;border-radius: 10px !important;}”]Voices of criticism of Adityanath government have started coming from within the BJP. BJP media panelist Deepti Bhardwaj has called the state government’s action shameful and appealed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Amit Shah to redeem the reputation of the BJP and its government.[/vc_column_text][vc_raw_html css=”.vc_custom_1523523978524{padding-top: 10px !important;padding-right: 10px !important;padding-bottom: 10px !important;padding-left: 10px !important;background-color: #a2b1bf !important;border-radius: 10px 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[/vc_raw_html][vc_column_text]The decision to handover the case to the CBI was taken late on Wednesday, hours after the BJP MLA made a dramatic appearance before the police but refused to surrender. Alongside, the Special Investigation Team (SIT) constituted under Additional Director General of Police (Lucknow zone) to look into the matter submitted its report to the government.

The SIT also submitted a video that purportedly shows the girl’s father saying he was assaulted by Sengar’s brother Atul in the presence of police, reported The Indian Express (IE). On Tuesday, Sengar’s brother Atul was the fifth person arrested in connection with the brutal assault on the girl’s father that led to his death the day before.

Apart from the SIT report submitted by Lucknow ADG Rajeev Krishna, the government received two other enquiry reports from DIG (prison) Love Kumar on the role of Unnao jail administration in handling the victim’s father and a separate report from Unnao district magistrate on the lapses on part of the government hospital, said the IE report.

The government also suspended two doctors – DK Dwivedi and Prashant Upadhyay – and initiated disciplinary proceedings against three of them – Dr Manoj Kumar, Dr GP Sachan and Dr Gaurav Agrawal – for laxity in giving proper medical care and treatment to the victim’s father prior to judicial custody and at the district hospital.

On April 3, the girl’s father was arrested in an Arms Act case and also booked under charges relating to voluntarily causing hurt, intentional insult with intent to provoke breach of peace. Unnao district jail superintendent AK Singh had said the girl’s father was handed over to police after he was allegedly beaten by four supporters of the MLA and their unidentified associates.

“On April 5, he complained of stomach ache and vomiting. We called the district hospital physician who came to the jail on April 6 and gave him medicines. They also asked us to conduct his blood, urine and ultrasound tests, for which we again took him to the district hospital on April 7. Since the physician did not find anything serious, he was brought back to the jail the same evening,” Singh had said. The next day, the victim’s father again complained of abdominal pain and vomiting. “His blood pressure too was very low, so the jail doctor asked us to take him to the district hospital. He was admitted there around 8.45 pm. But he passed away at 3.45 am next day,” he had said.

Circle Officer of Safipur, Kunwar Bahadur Singh, was also suspended for negligence in handling the repeated complaints given by the Unnao rape victim. The alleged rape case came into the limelight after the victim tried to immolate herself outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence on Sunday after alleging police inaction against the BJP MLA.

Sengar has denied the allegations and termed the charges against him as a political conspiracy. His wife, Sangeeta Sengar, had on Wednesday demanded narco tests of her husband and the 17-year-old girl.

Meanwhile, the rape victim on Thursday demanded Sengar’s arrest, saying she now fears for her uncle’s life. “Still so many questions are being raised on me, even after my father’s murder. How will I get justice,” said the victim.

Stating that the CBI probe is fine, the victim said, “First MLA (Kuldeep Singh Sengar) should be arrested as he will influence probe. I now fear for my uncle’s(father’s brother) life”[/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Prime Minister Narendra Modi takes dig at Rahul Gandhi, says like Amethi, Congress will lose its ground from Wayanad also

PM Modi is currently on a visit to Maharashtra for election campaigning, and is campaigning for Mahayuti’s candidates from the parliamentary seat of Nanded Prataprao Patil Chikhlikar.

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Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday made a prediction and said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi will be driven away from his parliamentary constituency Wayanad and the party will have to find another safe seat for him. PM Modi, at a rally in Maharashtra’s Nanded, said Rahul Gandhi was chased away from Amethi by BJP leader Smriti Irani. PM Modi is currently on a visit to Maharashtra for election campaigning, and is campaigning for Mahayuti’s candidates from the parliamentary seat of Nanded Prataprao Patil Chikhlikar.

The Prime Minister said Congress ke shehzade, unhe bhi Wayanad mein sankat dikh raha hai…Jaise Amethi se bhagna pada, aap maan ke chaliye wo Wayanad bhi chodenge… (The Prince of Congress is facing a danger in Wayanad. Like he was made to escape Amethi, believe me, he will have to leave Wayanad as well).

PM Modi added Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan has blasted Congress leader in such a language that even he did not use for them. He said he is sure Congress will look for another safe seat for its Shahjada after voting in Wayanad is over. He claimed that in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, the people of the country voted for the BJP-led NDA. PM Modi said the INDIA bloc partners were fighting each other for 25 percent seats. He said if this is the situation now, what will they do after the election?

PM Modi addressed all the workers and leaders of other parties and said even if they felt that they are going to lose the elections then why should they work hard- he said they should work hard for democracy. Aaj nahin toh kal, kal nahin toh parso, parso nahin toh narso, arey kabhi to mauka aega (if not today, tomorrow, day after tomorrow, someday, you may get a chance).

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Lok Sabha Elections: Voter turnout 62.02% in Tamil Nadu till 5pm

The voter turnout in Tamil Nadu stands at 62.02%, while Uttar Pradesh records a turnout of 57.5%. Meanwhile, in West Bengal, voter participation surges to 77.5% as of 5 pm.

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The Lok Sabha elections 2024 began today, marking the onset of the world’s largest electoral event. Voting ended in all 39 Lok Sabha constituencies in Tamil Nadu with a total voter turnout of 62.02%. State BJP chief and Coimbatore Lok Sabha constituency candidate K Annamalai said, they were getting complaints from a large number of voters that their names were missing from the voters’ list.

This incident happened in many places. Annamalai said they are demanding re-poll in places where the names of a large number of voters were missing.He said they had a doubt that there was some political interference because the names of a large number of BJP caders were missing from the voters list.

 The voters in South Chennai showed lukewarm interest to participate in the election process and had a total voter turnout of 57.04% till 5pm. Although the overall percentage is poor, some areas like Thiruvanmiyur witnessed brisk polling from 7am onwards. Elderly, middle aged and young voters turned up and it was a family outing for many as they cast their vote.

Corporation volunteers assisted senior citizens with wheelchairs and guided them to their respective polling booths. The hot weather also had an impact on the polling as it reduced the voter turnout as many booths in the corporation school in MGR Nagar were seen deserted around noon. Senior citizens showed courage as they reached the polling booths in private vehicles to exercise their franchise.

Most of the polling booths had shamianas for voters so that they could wait in a queue. Some people even found refuge in the nearby buildings to save themselves from the scorching heat. The polling officials gave instructions to the voters to keep their phones switched off while they exercised their franchise. The security personnel at the polling booth also regulated traffic outside the polling booth in MGR Nagar.

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2024 Lok Sabha Elections

Deserted by key supporters, the Kamal Nath story looks set to wind to an end in Chhindwara

Nath’s closest allies in his near 50-year reign—Deepak Saxena and Kamlesh Shah—have deserted him. His local team of corporators has also decided to jump ship leaving a gaping hole in Nath’s campaign trail.

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By Neeraj Mishra

The Congress has lost Chhindwara only once since Independence when the wily Sunderlal Patwa was sent there by Atal Bihari Vajpayee to test Kamal Nath’s hold on the constituency. Patwa won the 1997 by-election by a slim margin in the backdrop of Nath having forced his wife to first contest and later vacate the seat for him. Nath, however, returned to his winning ways the very next year and has won the seat nine times.

It seems possible that Chhindwara, the lone surviving Congress seat, will be lost again this time and may be forever. A day ahead of polling, the town was drowned in saffron. Not so much the effect of vigorous campaigning by Vivek Sahu of the BJP but the Ram Navami festival which brought out saffron flags on every rooftop.  The effect is likely to last since the polling is today. At 77, Nath is unlikely to contest another election here and his son Nakul seems like a pale shadow of his father unable to even make a forceful speech. The days of running Chhindwara from Shikarpur kothi are gone.

Nath’s closest allies in his near 50-year reign—Deepak Saxena and Kamlesh Shah—have deserted him. His local team of corporators has also decided to jump ship leaving a gaping hole in Nath’s campaign trail. Nakul had won by a margin of 37,000 votes in 2019 and the biggest lead had come from Kamlesh’s Amarwada Assembly segment. With Saxena in control of Chhindwara and forced to show his strength in his new party, it is highly likely that Nakul will not be depending on these segments. Instead, the Congress campaign was focused on Pandhurna, Parasia and Chaurai.

Amit Shah was in the region a couple of days ago and warned all BJP workers—old and new—against lethargy. His message was clear, the BJP wants all 29 seats this time. Cabinet Minister Kailash Vijayvargiya is camped here and using all his political acumen for the desired results. One such tactic was to raid the Shikarpur Kothi of Kamal Nath for his assistant Miglani who handles almost everything for him. With Miglani temporarily neutralised, BJP is best placed to repeat its win in Chhindwara in 1997.

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