CJI Ranjan Gogoi Seeks Report On Unnao Rape Survivor's Letter

Within a couple of days of the car crash in which the Unnao rape survivor was seriously injured and two of her aunts killed, a letter written to the Chief Justice of India by the victim's family has come to light, expressing threat and danger to their lives allegedly by the accused persons in the case.

New Delhi: Chief Justice of India (CJI), Ranjan Gogoi, on Wednesday sought a report from the Supreme Court registry asking it to file a reply within a week, as to why there is a delay in placing the July 12 letter written by the Unnao rape victim's family before him. The SC also sought a report from its secretary-general as to why Unnao rape victim's letter to CJI was not placed before it. They further asked for a status report from Uttar Pradesh authorities in Unnao rape case, lists it for hearing on Thursday. Earlier it was reported that within a couple of days of the car crash in which the Unnao rape survivor was seriously injured and two of her aunts killed, a letter written to the Chief Justice of India by the victim's family has come to light, expressing threat and danger to their lives allegedly by the accused persons in the case.

Chief Justice of India (CJI) had sought a report from the Supreme Court registry asking it to file a reply within a week, as to why there is a delay in placing the July 12 letter written by the Unnao rape victim's family before him. pic.twitter.com/BWVC1rnQGb

— ANI (@ANI) July 31, 2019

An official of the Supreme Court said the letter written in Hindi has been received by the office of the Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi who has asked the court's Secretary-General to prepare a note out of it and place it before him. "The CJI has asked the Secretary-General to go through the letter written in Hindi for preparing a note of it for his perusal," he told news agency PTI. The letter dated July 12, written by the survivor and two of her family members, was also sent to the Allahabad High Court and other authorities of the Uttar Pradesh government. On Sunday, the car in which the 19-year old rape survivor, her family and lawyer were travelling was hit by an over speeding truck in Rae Bareli, killing the two family members and leaving her and the advocate critically injured. Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a four-time BJP MLA from UP's Bangermau, is an accused in the rape case and was arrested last year in April. The letter narrates the incidents of July 7-8 when some people allegedly associated with Sengar, the sitting BJP legislator, threatened the victim's family with dire consequences. It also sought a direction for registration of FIR against the persons who had intimidated them. An FIR, which was lodged a day after the car crash, names the BJP legislator, his brother Manoj Singh Sengar, Vinod Mishra, Haripal Singh, Naveen Singh, Komal Singh, Arun Singh, Gyandendra Singh, Rinku Singh and Awadhesh Singh as accused. The rape case had come to light after the victim allegedly attempted self-immolation outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's residence. The letter signed by the girl, her mother and aunt stated that on July 7 Naveen Singh, son of an accused in the rape case Shashi Singh, Manoj Singh, brother of another accused Kuldeep Singh and one Kunnu Mishra had visited their house and threatened them. The next day, another person came to their house. The victim and the family said that along with the letter they were also annexing the video of the car in which these persons came to their house. (agency inputs)