BJP MLA sends 'best wishes' to Unnao rape accused in his 'difficult times'

Lucknow: Days after the prime accused of infamous Unnao rape case and a four-time legislator, Kuldeep Singh Sengar was expelled from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), a Hardoi MLA Ashish Singh Ashu was caught on camera, expressing his "best wishes" for Sengar to overcome his "difficult times".

Sengar is accused of raping a girl at his residence in Unnao district in 2017 when she was 17 years old. A case was registered after she tried to immolate herself outside the residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath in April last year. A day after the self-immolation bid, her father died in police custody.

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Kuldeep Singh Sengar is also accused of killing her two aunts and her lawyer to shut the rape case filed against him in the lack of evidence.

This high profile case has bought BJP harsh criticism from all corners and Sengar's political influence has also been put through media scanner. From Sakshi Maharaj's visit to Sengar in Jail during Lok Sabha Polls 2019 to video clip of Hardoi MLA remarks has dented BJP's public image.

In this viral video, legislator, Ashish Singh Ashu could be seen wishing and hoping Sengar comes out of jail soon.

"Our brother Kuldeep Singh could not be here among us today as he is going through difficult times. Our best wishes are with him. We hope that he will overcome the bad times, fight through it and come out of it and be with all of you to lead you," Ashu is heard saying in the video made at a panchayat meeting in Unnao on Friday.

"Wherever we are, our best wishes are with him."

On July 27, when the girl, her two aunts and her lawyer were going to meet her uncle at Raebareli jail, their car was hit by a truck. One of her aunts, who was a witness in the rape case, died in the collision. She and her lawyer are admitted to a Lucknow hospital.

Her uncle has been in jail in a two-decade old case for allegedly beating Sengar's brother.

The rape survivor's family alleges the truck-car collision was a deliberate attempt to kill her.

Following an outrage over the collision, the UP government handed over the case to CBI. The central agency is now investigating all the five Unnao cases, including the rape case.

The Supreme Court is hearing the matter and on Friday deferred its decision whether to transfer the case filed after road crash to a Delhi court.

On Monday, the apex court will pass orders on whether the woman should be moved to AIIMS hospital in Delhi for better treatment.

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(PTI)