Following national outrage, the UP government had handed the case over to the federal investigative agency, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and the top court of the country ordered a fast-track trial based on a letter written by the victim.
The court in the national capital on Friday sentenced the legislator – Kuldeep Singh Sengar to life imprisonment and a punitive payment of Rs. 2.5 million (approximately $35,120) in compensation to the victim's family payable within a month.
Sengar also faced charges of killing the lawyer and aunt of the victim in an orchestrated truck accident. The victim's family also claimed, they had received threats on behalf of the legislator.
The issue rocked Indian Parliament, with opposition parties trying to corner the ruling BJP, which was first forced to suspend the accused legislator and then dismiss him from the party.
"This court does not find any mitigating circumstances. Sengar was a public servant and betrayed the people's faith," the judge was quoted as saying while refraining from taking a lenient approach in sentencing the former BJP legislator.
Sengar was found guilty of rape under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO Act), established in 2012 to protect minors under 18 from offences like sexual abuse, sexual harassment and pornography.
Sengar's co-accused in the case, Shashi Singh, who allegedly brought the minor girl to him, was acquitted by the court through the "benefit of the doubt".
However, many netizens believe that the rapist-legislator deserved nothing less than capital punishment for his heinous crime.
life sentence isn’t enough he should be HANGED to death.our judiciary had decided 25 lakh rupees for the agony and pain that victim’s family had undergone till today. he should atleast pay them 1 crore (sounds funny but he should pay that money)#KuldeepSengar #UnnaoCase pic.twitter.com/UZGtpRJoDd
— H.K. (@meharikiran) December 20, 2019
Frankly, if what Kuldeep Singh Sengar did doesn't deserve capital punishment, I don't know what does. pic.twitter.com/yeaOzQCPUa
— Shiv Aroor (@ShivAroor) December 20, 2019
Clear mood on social media is that Kuldeep Singh Sengar should get death penalty.
— SaahilMurli Menghani (@saahilmenghani) December 20, 2019
In this, I explain how Sengar used his daughters to get even his life imprisonment REDUCED 👇🏻👇🏻 https://t.co/LRuspxwKiB
Why only life term for Kuldeep Sengar? #unnaokibeti #Unnao #unnaohorror
— Modern Kabir (@VinayakSapre1) December 20, 2019
