Protests outside Delhi High Court against bail to Kuldeep Sengar in Unnao rape case
New Delhi: Protests broke out outside the Delhi High Court on Friday after the court granted conditional bail to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case. Demonstrators gathered near the court premises, raising slogans and demanding that the bail order be withdrawn.
The protest followed the High Court’s decision to suspend Sengar’s life sentence, a move that has drawn strong reactions from the survivor, her family and women’s rights activists. Speaking to Hindustan Times, the survivor said she was distressed by the order and felt unsafe after learning that Sengar had been granted bail.
The survivor’s mother told ANI that the family would approach the Supreme Court to challenge the decision, stating that they had lost faith in the High Court. She said the family was determined to continue its legal fight and expressed anguish over bail being granted to a person convicted of rape and linked to other serious criminal cases.
Police personnel were deployed around the court complex and were seen asking protesters to disperse, warning of legal action if the gathering continued. Visuals shared by news agencies showed security officials urging demonstrators to clear the area.
Women’s rights activist Yogita Bhayana, who participated in the protest, said the decision had caused widespread anger and pain among women. She said protesters had assembled at the court to voice their opposition and demand justice for the survivor.
Several protesters questioned the basis on which bail was granted, noting that Sengar had been convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment. They said the decision sent a troubling message about women’s safety and accountability in cases of sexual violence.
Sengar was convicted in December 2019 for the rape of a 17-year-old girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district in 2017 and was sentenced to life imprisonment. The Delhi High Court, while suspending his sentence earlier this week, observed that he had already served more than the maximum punishment prescribed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The survivor also referred to past incidents, including a 2019 car accident in which two of her relatives and her lawyer were killed, alleging that Sengar had earlier used associates to intimidate and target her family.
Now 24 and living in Delhi, the survivor has been provided court-mandated security following the bail order and is accompanied by Central Reserve Police Force personnel. Her mother said, however, that security cover earlier provided to her and her three children had been withdrawn earlier this year, adding to the family’s sense of insecurity.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
