Unnao rape case: Victim’s lawyer says SC order only limited relief not victory to survivor
New Delhi: Mehmood Pracha, counsel for the Unnao rape survivor, on Monday said the Supreme Court’s decision to stay the Delhi High Court order suspending the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar has given the victim only temporary relief and does not address deeper concerns in the case.
Reacting to the interim order passed by the Supreme Court of India, Pracha said the development should not be seen as a victory. “I can assure the victim that we have got a small relief. This should not be called a victory, but it gives us a little time to breathe,” he said.
Pracha criticised the Central Bureau of Investigation for what he described as a limited and inadequate presentation of arguments before the apex court. He alleged that the agency did not consult the survivor’s legal team and failed to place the strongest grounds supporting the victim. “There is substantial evidence in favour of the survivor, but the CBI did not raise the most important aspects of the case,” he said.
He also pointed out that the Supreme Court, while staying the High Court’s order, did not go into the core merits of the matter. “The court has not examined the main issues. What was discussed was only the tip of the iceberg,” Pracha said, adding that the survivor’s legal team was not made a party to the proceedings.
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Expressing anguish over the survivor’s continued vulnerability, Pracha questioned whether the stay order truly translated into meaningful relief. He said the survivor remains under heavy security and lives in constant fear. “Do you expect me to be happy when the survivor is under CRPF protection and I cannot even speak to her freely about the order?” he asked.
The Supreme Court, while hearing the CBI’s plea against the Delhi High Court’s December 23 order, stayed the suspension of Sengar’s life sentence and directed that he should not be released from custody. The bench noted that Sengar is already serving a sentence in another criminal case and sought his response within two weeks.
Sengar was convicted in December 2019 for the rape of a minor in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district and sentenced to life imprisonment. Although the High Court had granted him bail in the rape case, he continues to remain in jail in connection with a separate case linked to the death of the survivor’s father.
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The Latest: Kuwait blames Iran for drone strikes as Trump casts doubt on ceasefire
Dubai (AP): US President Donald Trump appeared to cast doubt on the effectiveness of the two-week ceasefire over Iran's continued chokehold over the Strait of Hormuz, while Kuwait accused Iran and its proxies of launching drone attacks targeting it on Thursday despite the ceasefire.
Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard denied launching attacks on Persian Gulf states after Kuwait's announcement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu offered a potential boost to ceasefire efforts in the region when he said he had approved direct talks with Lebanon. The Lebanese government has not responded as of Friday morning.
The announcement came after Israel's pounding of Beirut Wednesday killed more than 300 people. The negotiations are expected next week in Washington, according to a person familiar with the matter.
Questions remained over what will happen to Iran's stockpile of enriched uranium at the heart of tensions, how and when normal traffic will resume through the Strait of Hormuz, and what happens to Iran's ability to launch future missile attacks and support armed proxies in the region.
Talks between the United States and Iran on a resolution to the conflict are expected to start Saturday in Islamabad, with the White House saying Vice President JD Vance would lead the US delegation.
Here is the latest:
Air defence fire and explosions heard in Iran
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Multiple times overnight into Friday morning, people around Iran's capital, Tehran, and other parts of the country said they heard what sounded like air defence fire and explosions.
However, Iran's government did not acknowledge any attack during that period.
After past exchanges of fire with Israel, similar incidents happened as troops remained on edge.
Japan releases more oil reserves
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Japan said it will release an additional 20 days' worth of oil reserves in May, in a second round to address supply uncertainty over the war in the Middle East.
Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi said the planned release of the government reserves will start in early May, after an earlier release last month.
Japan started releasing about 50 days' worth of oil reserves in March, including from those held by the state, the private sector and oil-producing Gulf nations.
As of April 6, Japan had 230 days' worth oil reserves, including 143 days' worth in government stockpiles, according to the Natural Resources and Energy Agency.
Takaichi said her government is working to secure oil imports via routes that do not include the Strait of Hormuz, while Japan seeks to diversify suppliers.
Pakistan to issue visas on arrival ahead of talks
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Pakistan said Friday it would issue visas on arrival for those travelling to Islamabad for the Iran-US talks, signalling the interest in the world's media in the event.
