india

Updated: Aug 06, 2019 02:58 IST

A Delhi court on Monday directed that expelled Bharatiya Janata Party legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar, accused of raping a minor girl in Unnao in 2017, be shifted to Tihar Jail in the national capital from Sitapur prison in Uttar Pradesh.

Earlier, he was produced in the special court amid tight security. Additional sessions judge Dharmesh Sharma put up the matter for argument on framing of charges in the rape case — one of the four related cases transferred to Delhi — for August 7. Both Sengar and his accomplice Shashi Singh, who is accused of enticing the victim into going to the legislator’s residence, were produced in the court.

Sengar’s counsel, advocate Bharat Singh, argued that his client is not a terrorist. “Sir, this is a media trial and my client is not a terrorist but a sitting MLA”.

Sengar and nine others were also booked for murder by the Central Bureau of Investigation after the rape survivor and her advocate were injured when a truck hit their car in Rae Bareli last week. Her two aunts were killed in the accident. The rape survivor’s family has alleged foul play.

The Supreme Court had last week directed to hold trial on daily basis and completing it within 45 days. Besides the main case, the three other matters transferred to Delhi are: a first information report (FIR) lodged against the survivor’s father under the Arms Act, his custodial death and the gang rape of the woman.