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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Rajnath Singh chairs IGoM meet, urges constant vigil over West Asia crisis
New Delhi (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday emphasised the need for round-the-clock monitoring of the West Asia conflict and called for a calibrated response to deal with any eventuality to ensure that national interests remain protected.
Singh made the comments while chairing a high-level meeting of the Informal Group of Ministers (IGoM) set-up to monitor the situation in West Asia.
The meeting was attended by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Oil Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Power Minister Manohar Lal, Chemicals and Fertilizers Minister J P Nadda, Consumer Affairs Minister Prahlad Joshi and Minister of Railways, Information and Broadcasting, Electronics and Information Technology Ashwini Vaishnaw.
In view of the "uncertain situation", the defence minister underlined the importance of round-the-clock monitoring of the situation and the need to respond in a calibrated manner to deal with any eventuality, an official readout said.
He stressed on the need to leave no stone unturned to ensure that the people of the country face the minimum effect of the conflict, it said.
It was the second meeting of the IGoM after it was set up last month.
The IGoM was apprised of the measures being taken by the government in the wake of the ongoing West Asia conflict, Singh said on social media.
"We also deliberated upon the next steps to be taken by the government to mitigate any adverse impact arising due to the ongoing conflict," he said.
The defence ministry said in the readout said, "In the meeting, the seven empowered groups of secretaries briefed the IGoM on the steps being taken to tackle the situation."
"The IGoM was apprised about measures undertaken by the Ministry of Finance to address concerns arising due to global trade disruptions and provide relief and support to the industry, especially manufacturing, and bolster investor confidence," it said.
It listed measures including notification issued on Wednesday on full customs duty exemption on 40 critical petrochemical products till June 30.
The ministry also mentioned announcement of a special one-time relief measure for eligible units in SEZs to sell manufactured goods in Domestic Tariff Area (DTA) at concessional customs duty rates to be effective from April 1 to March 31.
It also noted another notification issued by the Department of Revenue clarifying that the provisions of GAAR (General Anti Avoidance Rules) will not be invoked in respect of investments made prior to April 1, 2017.
"These measures will reduce cost pressures on downstream sectors including textiles, packaging and pharmaceuticals, facilitate supply stability in the country and provide requisite clarity for investors contemplating investments in India," the readout said.
Defence Minister Singh appreciated the government's decision to impose a 25 per cent cap on the monthly increase in aviation turbine fuel prices for domestic operations, with effect from April 1.
This step will help protect the people from sudden increase in fares, he said.
The government has accorded highest priority to domestic LPG supply, with refinery production enhanced to fully meet consumption requirements, according to the readout.
"The IGoM was informed that there have been no reports of dry-out at LPG distributorships, and delivery of domestic LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) cylinders continues as per the normal schedule. The temporary supply concerns arose due to instances of hoarding and black marketing, which triggered panic buying in certain areas," it said.
The ministers were informed that strict enforcement action is being undertaken, with raids being carried out across multiple states and Union territories to curb hoarding and black marketing of LPG, the ministry said in the readout.
Action has also been taken against some LPG distributors who engaged in malpractices, it said.
"To support migrant labour and low-consumption households, the government is ensuring adequate availability of 5 kg free trade LPG cylinders, and since March 23, over 4.3 lakh such cylinders have been sold. Special focus is being given to states where demand is higher," it said.
The IGoM was apprised that industrial requirements dependent on commercial LPG are being met, with over 80 per cent of pre-crisis supply levels being maintained to ensure continuity of operations.
"Special meetings have been held with ministries and stakeholders of different industries to understand their demand and meet their needs. Oil PSUs are ensuring continued supply of Auto LPG across the country," the readout noted.
"However, some supply constraints are being faced by private operators due to their procurement challenges, which is why lines are being observed at PSU auto LPG pumps. Wherever the autos are dual feed and can use petrol, they are being encouraged to use petrol," it said.
