The Supreme Court has finally decided to take up the Unnao rape victim’s letter, sent to the top court nearly two weeks ago. The court will hear the matter on Thursday.
This was after the Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi asked the Secretary-General to explain why the letter was not placed before the court even though it was sent on 12 July.
“Unfortunately, I was informed about the letter yesterday and I am yet to see it. Newspapers have reported as if no action was taken by the CJI. We will try to do something about this highly volatile situation. List the matter tomorrow”, said CJI Gogoi, according to the Livelaw website.
In her letter to the Supreme Court, the victim had alleged threats from the BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar. Earlier this week, the victim’s car was hit by a truck whose registration number was blackened with ink. In the accident, two of the Unnao rape victim’s aunts died while the condition of the victim and her lawyer remain critical.
The topic dominated the proceedings of the parliament, where opposition leaders criticised the BJP for not expelling its rape accused MLA, who’s been locked up in jail since last year.
Faced with condemnation, the Uttar Pradesh Police on Tuesday constituted a Special Investigation Team to investigate the mysterious accident. “We have constituted an SIT headed by Additional Superintendent of Police Raebareli Shahi Shekhar to probe into the mishap in Raebareli on Sunday,” IG (Law and Order) Praveen Kumar was quoted as saying.