Supreme Court Seeks Survivor’s Response on Centre’s Plea to Withdraw CRPF Security in Unnao Rape Case

Keywords: Supreme Court, Unnao rape case, Kuldeep Singh Sengar, CRPF security, Delhi High Court, life sentence, threat analysis, local police, compensation

The Supreme Court on Tuesday sought responses from the 2017 Unnao rape survivor and her family concerning the Centre’s plea to withdraw the CRPF security cover granted to them by the court in 2019. The security was initially provided following serious threats faced by the survivor and her family, linked to the involvement of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is serving a life sentence for kidnapping and raping the minor.

A bench comprising Justice Bela M. Trivedi and Justice Satish Chandra Sharma heard the Centre’s plea, with the government arguing that a recent threat analysis indicated that CRPF protection was no longer necessary. The Centre proposed that local police could take over the security responsibility. However, the bench emphasized the need to prioritize the safety of the survivor and her family, especially as they now reside in Delhi.

The case, initially transferred from Lucknow to Delhi by the Supreme Court to ensure a swift trial, led to Sengar’s conviction in December 2019. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for the crime, and an additional 10-year sentence for the custodial death of the survivor’s father in 2018. His appeals are still pending in the Delhi High Court.

The court also previously directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay Rs. 25 lakh as interim compensation to the survivor. The ongoing debate over the withdrawal of CRPF protection raises concerns about the adequacy of local police in ensuring the family’s safety amidst the pending legal appeals.

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