Unnao rape survivor accident case: CBI to file status report in SC on Friday

New Delhi: The Supreme Court (SC) is scheduled to hear the status report in the Unnao rape survivor's accident case on Friday, after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which is probing the case, asked for an extension for submitting the report on Wednesday.

On Wednesday, the apex court had sought for a status report in the case. In 2017, expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar had allegedly raped a minor girl at his residence in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao, when she had gone to seek a job. On July 28, the car in which the rape survivor, her lawyer and two aunts were travelling was hit by a speeding truck in Rae Bareli. Both her aunts were killed in the accident and the rape survivor and her lawyer critically injured.

In the last hearing, the SC had asked the special CBI judge presiding in Tis Hazari Court that how many days will it take to complete the trial in the case. The apex court had asked this after an accused in the case had approached the SC seeking an extension of the time slated for completion of the trial in the matter.

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Shashi Singh, an associate of main accused, expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, had requested the top court to grant the extension, maintaining that 45 days were only directory and not mandatory and the trial court ought to keep in minds the right of the accused to a fair and proper trial.

Citing "material inconsistencies" and "discrepancies" in the statements made by the rape survivor, her mother, and uncle before the investigating agency and courts, Shashi Singh had said that she needs time to conduct proper cross-examination of the witnesses, news agency IANS reported.

On September 2, the CBI had recorded the statement of Unnao rape survivor in New Delhi’s All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in connection with the accident case which left her critically injured.

On August 1, the Supreme Court shifted the five cases connected with the Unnao rape incident to Delhi, assigned a special judge to conduct a day-to-day trial and ordered that the trial should be completed within 45 days.