Unnao gangrape case: Allahabad HC slams UP police, to pronounce order on Friday

File photo of Special Investigation Team (SIT), headed by ADG Lucknow zone Rajeev Krishna, at residence of Unnao gangrape survivor. (PTI)

New Delhi: Coming down heavily on UP police, Allahabad High Court on Thursday asked why accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar was not arrested and that based on the prevailing situation, it would be compelled to say in its order that the law and order situation in the state has collapsed.

While the HC will pronounce its order on Friday, it has taken a grim view of how police acted on the complaint made by the rape survivor. "Police was not ready to register FIR of the minor rape victim. In spite of the SIT report, you are repeating that you can only take any action after further investigation," the court said. "If this is the conduct of the police in the state, whom will a victim approach to register a complaint? If this is the stand you are repeatedly taking, then we will be forced to observe in our order that 'law and order has collapsed in the state'."

The rape survivor has named Sengar and several others in her complaint to the police. Her father died after he was taken into custody in an Arms Act case with his post-mortem report highlighting that he had suffered internal injuries. CM Yogi Adityanath, facing massive condemnation, ordered an SIT probe and the matter has now been handed over to CBI.

Sengar, on his part, has denied any wrongdoing and said that investigations would reveal he is innocent. Refusing to surrender, he met Lucknow SSP late on Wednesday night but came out half hour later saying that there is no question of surrendering because no one has asked him to. "If charges against me are proven, I will quit politics," he had earlier told Zee News.