Once he comes out he will eliminate us, says Unnao rape victim's family on Sengar's

Unnao, Dec 20: The family members of the Unnao rape victim on Friday said they had hoped the convict in the case, expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, would be given death sentence as only that would have given them a feeling of security.

"Kuldeep Sengar should have been awarded death sentence so that we could have got full justice. We would have been satisfied only then as that would have ensured our security," said the rape victim's sister.

"We are scared even when Kuldeep Sengar is in jail. Once he comes out he will eliminate us," she said, with her mother nodding in agreement. A Delhi court on Friday awarded life imprisonment to the expelled BJP MLA and also imposed an exemplary fine of Rs 25 lakh on him. The fine has to be paid within a month.

Sengar will remain in jail for "remainder of his natural biological life" for raping a woman in Unnao in 2017, a Delhi court said on Friday while sentencing him for life. District Judge Dharmesh Sharma also imposed an exemplary fine of Rs 25 lakh on him and it has to be paid within a month, making it clear that in case of non-payment, Uttar Pradesh government will have to pay from the state coffer as provided in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).

"The convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar is hereby sentenced to undergo imprisonment for life, which shall mean imprisonment for the remainder of his natural biological life in terms of Section 376 (2) Indian Penal Code," the court said.

Section 376 (2) of IPC deals with the offence of rape committed by a public servant who "takes advantage of his official position and commits rape on a woman in his custody as such public servant or in the custody of a public servant subordinate to him".

"This court does not find any mitigating circumstance, Sengar was public servant and betrayed people's faith," the judge said while declining the plea for lenient approach in sentencing him. The conduct of 53-year-old Sengar was to intimidate the rape survivor, the court said. It also directed that additional Rs 10 lakh be paid as compensation to the mother of the rape survivor.

Besides, the court directed the CBI to continue assessing threat perception to the life and security of the survivor and her family members every three months. It said they will continue to reside in rented accommodation made available by Delhi Commission for Women for one more year and directed the UP government to pay Rs 15,000 per month for the rent.