Unnao rape case: People trying to take political advantage, says SC on allegations against HC judges
New Delhi (PTI): After expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar's lawyers said that allegations were made against the Delhi High Court judges who suspended his life sentence in the Unnao rape case, the Supreme Court on Monday observed that some people are trying to take "political advantage".
The high court had suspended the jail term of Sengar, who was serving life imprisonment in the Unnao rape case, saying he had already served seven years and five months in prison.
"We understand it. We are not sitting in ivory towers. We understand that people are trying to take political advantage and there are people who are trying to take advantage," Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, who was heading a three-judge vacation bench, said.
Senior advocate N Hariharan, appearing for Sengar, pointed out that some people were making allegations against the high court judges who dealt with the case.
He said such persons should refrain from making statements or allegations against the judges.
"They are doing that on national television," Hariharan said.
Another lawyer, who also appeared for Sengar, said photographs of the high court judges were also being circulated.
Hariharan said there is a video circulating levelling allegations against the judges and this was a cause of concern.
The bench observed that such people are simply forgetting that Sengar was convicted by the judiciary only.
"Very frankly, these judges are one of the finest we have," the bench, also comprising Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, said during the hearing.
Later, asked about the issue of allegations being made against the judges, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, who appeared for the CBI in the matter, unequivocally and categorically said both the high court judges are "brilliant judges with unimpeachable integrity" and any attempt to malign them must be strongly condemned.
They are among the finest judges of the country, the top law officer said.
He said there are always some elements that attempt to browbeat honest judges and such devious forces must not be encouraged.
The apex court stayed the Delhi High Court's order suspending the life sentence of Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case, and said he shall not be released from custody.
The apex court also issued notice to Sengar seeking his response within four weeks on the CBI's plea challenging the high court order.
Sengar's sentence was suspended by the high court till the pendency of his appeal challenging his conviction and sentence in the rape case. He has challenged a December 2019 trial court verdict in the case.
He will, however, remain in jail since he is also serving 10 years' imprisonment in the custodial death case of the victim's father and has not been granted bail in that case.
The rape case and other connected cases were transferred to Delhi from a trial court in Uttar Pradesh on the directions of the Supreme Court on August 1, 2019.
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Ranchi: Temple guard bludgeoned to death during robbery attempt, 3 held
Ranchi (PTI): A 60-year-old security guard of a temple in Ranchi was bludgeoned to death with a stone during a robbery attempt, police said on Saturday.
The incident happened late on Thursday at the Jagannath Temple in the Dhurwa Smart City area, they said.
"Three persons were arrested on Friday for killing the security guard. They confessed to the crime and told police that the victim had identified them. Therefore, in fear of being caught, they killed him by attacking him with a stone on his head," SSP Rakesh Ranjan said.
"Thereafter, they took money from the donation box and fled the scene. Two of them have criminal antecedents," he added.
Ranjan said the investigators recovered Rs 3 lakh in cash that had been robbed, the stone with blood-stained marks, and the iron rod used to break open the lock of the donation box kept there.
An FIR in this regard was lodged at the Dhurwa police station, he said, adding that the accused were sent to judicial custody by a court.
