Kuldeep Sengar, 6 others get 10 years in prison for death of Unnao rape victim's father

Expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and six other men, including his brother and two policemen were sentenced to 10 years in prison after they were convicted for the death of the Unnao rape victim's father.

District Judge Dharmesh Sharma while awarding the sentence said that the accused persons did not deserve a lenient sentence looking into the facts and circumstances of the case. "There can be no denying the fact that rule of law was broken. Ashok Singh Bhadauria, KP Singh and Kuldeep Singh Sengar are public functionaries they are supposed to observe the rule of law. The fact that he (father) was beaten up, paraded and ultimately died this is not a fit case for leniency," the court said.

The court also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh each on Sengar and his brother Atul Singh.

After the order on sentence was pronounced, the Station Officer, Ashok pleaded fo mercy in front of the judge. "What is my children's fault. I was just doing my job. I have nothing to do with Sengar. This is like death. Please have mercy on me."

The Judge said, "It is difficult for us to make decisions. When you committed the crime you should have though about your children and wife."

While convicting the accused, the court said the sequence of events "establishes clearly, beyond reasonable doubt, that under the patronage of accused Kuldeep Singh Sengar, his foot soldiers — namely Vineet Mishra, Birender Singh and Shashi Pratap Singh (and probably with others who could not be identified) — assaulted the victim with leg and fist blows by intermittently hitting him… with the barrel of the rifle."

The court, however, acquitted the other accused — constable Amir Khan, Shailendra Singh, Ram Sharan Singh and Sharadveer Singh — giving them the benefit of doubt.

(Inputs and image from theindianexpress.com)