The Allahabad High Court rejected the bail plea of the Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is the main accused in the gang-rape of a minor girl and the murder of her father in Unnao.
A two-member bench comprising Chief Justice DB Bhosale and Justice Suneet Kumar stated that the CBI was investigating the case against him and others as per the law and the court cannot interfere and give any direction to the agency on the plea of an accused to affect its investigations.
Sengar had alleged that the CBI was playing a partisan role in its investigation and was out to nail him without taking into account facts and evidences. “I am innocent and have given adequate evidences to the agency to prove that I was not involved in the crime, but the CBI was not taking into account any proof furnished by me,” he charged
The Yogi Adityanath government also informed the two-member bench that it has completed the formalities for shifting the case against the accused BJP MLA and others at the POCSO Court Unnao to Special CBI Court in Lucknow.
During arguments, the High Court has also rejected the CBI plea to allow setting up a panel of AIIMS doctors to ascertain reasons behind the death of the victim’s father in police custody. The agency pointed that two boards were formed earlier and both have given different reasons as cause of death.
The court also rejected an application of another accused Shubham who claimed that he was a minor, but the CBI was not accepting the age documents which he has produced. The bench said that it would be decided by the investigative agency and not by the court.
The bench stated that the CBI was free to take any decision on its own in matters related to its investigation and the court will not interfere in issues pertaining to investigation and collection of evidences.
The CBI also submitted its third status report before the court on Wednesday. The much to their relief, the court appeared satisfied with the progress being made by the agency. It has fixed July 20 as the next date for holding arguments and submitting fourth status report.
