Unnao rape case: Kuldeep Sengar sentenced to life imprisonment, asked to pay Rs 10 lakh to rape survivor

A Delhi Court on Friday sentenced expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar to imprisonment for the remainder of his life in the Unnao rape case.

District Judge Dharmesh Kumar Sharma imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh on Sengar. He directed the convict to deposit Rs 10 lakh in the bank account of the rape survivor and her family as soon as possible.

Out of the total amount, Sengar has also been asked to pay compensation of Rs 15 lakh to Uttar Pradesh government "towards defraying expenses incurred in the prosecution and the trial in the case".

In case the fine imposed is not paid by the convict within a month, it shall be liable to be recovered by the Uttar Pradesh government as arrears of land revenue, the court said.

In terms with the guidelines laid down by the Supreme Court, the court directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to assess the threat perception to the life and security of the girl and her family every three months from now.

"Adequate steps shall be taken by the CBI to ensure that the life and liberty of the victim and her family remain secured including providing safe house or change of identity," the order stated.

The rape survivor, her family, and the CBI can approach the Member Secretary, Delhi State Legal Services Authority or the District Witness Protection Committee for proceedings.

Besides this, the court submitted that the survivor and her family will continue to reside in the rented accommodation which has been made available by the efforts of social workers of Delhi Commission for Women (DCW) for a period of one year.

It also directed the UP government to pay and reimburse rental charges of Rs 15,000 per month to the landlord for one year.

The court had on Monday convicted Sengar, a four-time BJP MLA from Uttar Pradesh's Bangarmau, for raping a girl at his residence in Unnao, where she had gone seeking a job.

The court convicted him under Section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and Section 5 (c) and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which pertains to penetrative sexual assault committed against a child by a public servant.

The co-accused Shashi Singh, who allegedly took the minor to Sengar, was afforded the benefit of the doubt and let off by the court.