'Will not rest until he is hanged': Unnao rape survivor welcomes SC intervention, vowes to continue legal fight
The Unnao rape survivor on Monday expressed satisfaction in the Supreme Court order which stayed the Delhi High Court order suspending the life sentence of convict and former BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar. She also vowed to continue the legal fight until he is hanged. I am very happy with this decision. I have got justice from the Supreme Court. I have been raising my voice for justice from the very beginning, the survivor said, reported PTI. I do not make any allegations against any court. I have faith in all courts, but the Supreme Court has given me justice and will continue to do so, she said. Hearing a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) , the Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Delhi HC order that had suspended Sengar's life sentence and granted him bail in the 2017 Unnao rape case. The top court also issued a notice to Sengar, directing him to file his response. Vowing to continue the legal fight, the survivor said, I will not rest until he is hanged. I will keep fighting. Only then will my family and I get justice. We receive threats even today. Family members also expressed relief over the intervention by the SC, saying their faith in the justice system had been restored. The survivor's sister said she had complete faith that the court would ensure the accused is not released. He is a monster. First, he raped my sister and later destroyed the entire family. I am satisfied today. His bail should remain rejected, she said, adding that the family would continue to pursue the case. The survivor's mother thanked the apex court for the relief and told reporters that those who killed her husband should receive the death sentence. Reacting to the order the activist Yogita Bhayana said the order had wider implications. This is not a fight of one victim alone, but of all girls. The Supreme Court itself noted that while stays are not usually granted, this case stands on a different footing, she said. Triggering widespread protests and concerns over the security of the rape survivor, the Delhi HC on December 23, suspended the life imprisonment awarded to former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and granted him bail on a personal bond of Rs 15 lakh during the pendency of his appeal. The court imposed certain conditions, directing him not to enter within a five-kilometre radius of the victims residence in Delhi and not to threaten the survivor or her mother. Sengar, however, remained in jail since he is also serving a 10-year term in connection with the custodial death of the rape survivor's father and has not been granted bail in that case. Sengar was convicted to life imprisonment in the case, by a trial court in December 2019. According to the prosecution, the Unnao rape survivor, a minor, was kidnapped and raped by Sengar between June 11 to June 20, 2017 in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao area. She was then sold for Rs 60,000, after which she was recovered at the Maakhi police station. The court found Sengar guilty of rape under section 376 (Rape) of the Indian Penal Code and sections 5(C) and 6 of the POCSO Act, holding that the victim's testimony was 'unblemished, truthful and of sterling quality'. (With inputs from PTI) Justice Delayed: The Unnao rape survivor's long-running legal battle
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