Unnao Rape Survivor’s Mother Prevented From Protest in Delhi, Incident Sparks Outrage

Shocking scenes unfolded in the heart of the national capital as the Unnao rape survivor and her elderly mother were allegedly restrained from protesting and addressing the media, sparking widespread outrage.

The two have been seeking justice following the Delhi High Court's recent order granting relief to former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who was convicted of raping the survivor.

The court has suspended Sengar's sentence while his appeal remains pending, a move that has left the survivor and her family deeply distressed and fearful for their safety.

Protest Halted, Mother-Daughter Diverted

Late on Tuesday night, the survivor, her mother and lawyer-activist Yogita Bhayana staged a protest at India Gate, where they were detained by authorities. The following morning, the mother and daughter planned to speak to the media at Mandi House. However, the CRPF-escorted bus they were travelling in did not stop at the designated location.

According to a CRPF officer, permission had not been granted for protests at either Mandi House or India Gate. Officials said the survivor and her mother would instead be taken to Jantar Mantar or back to their residence.

Elderly Mother Forced Off Moving Bus

The situation escalated dramatically when the survivor's mother was seen standing at the door of a moving bus as CRPF personnel allegedly pushed her and asked her to get down. Disturbingly, there were no women CRPF personnel present on the bus, despite it transporting the survivor and her mother.

After repeated pushing, the elderly woman jumped off the moving bus. The bus then drove away with the survivor still inside, separating the mother and daughter.

"We did not get justice. My daughter has been held captive. It seems they want to kill us. CRPF men took the girl and dropped me on the road. We will give up our lives. We were going to protest, but the CRPF men forcibly took her away. We were going to Mandi House to protest," the mother told the media.

Survivor Questions Judiciary, Plans Supreme Court Move

The survivor was raped in June 2017 in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao when she was just 17. Kuldeep Singh Sengar was later named in the case, expelled from the BJP, and convicted in 2019 for raping a minor. He was also found guilty in connection with the custodial death of the survivor's father, who had initially been framed in the sexual assault case.

Reacting to the court's relief to Sengar, the survivor questioned the justice system, asking, "How can our judiciary do this to us?"

She pointed out that the decision comes ahead of the Uttar Pradesh elections and said she would approach the Supreme Court. "An emergency hearing should be held. This Kuldeep Singh has the money and power to get his way, and we have to suffer," she said.

Delhi High Court Relief And Conditions

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court suspended Sengar's life imprisonment and granted him conditional bail pending his appeal against the 2019 conviction. The court noted that under the pre-2019 provisions of the POCSO Act, an MLA does not qualify as a "public servant" or a person in a "position of trust", which reduced the applicable minimum sentence to seven years. Sengar has already served more than seven years in jail.

The court imposed multiple conditions, including a personal bond of Rs 15 lakh, restriction to staying only in Delhi, a ban on entering within five kilometres of the survivor's home, prohibition on contacting or threatening the family, surrender of his passport, and mandatory weekly reporting to the police. Sengar will continue to remain in prison in connection with his 10-year sentence for the custodial death of the survivor's father.

Reiterating their resolve to continue the fight, the survivor and her mother said they would not back down. "We will challenge the decision in the Supreme Court. We're fighting for justice for 9 years, and I lost my husband in the process. Police intimidate us, manhandle us. My family is not safe," the mother said during their earlier protest.