A Delhi court convicted expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on Monday for raping a woman in Unnao in 2017.
The court convicted Sengar for rape under Indian Penal Code and POCSO Act for offence of public servant committing penetrative sexual assault against a child.District Judge Dharmesh Sharma, however, acquitted co-accused Shashi Singh of all charges.
Smriti Irani, who had recently attacked on Twitter for her comments on Rahul Gandhi was asked to speak up about the case by a journalist. Irani replied saying: “To presume that I would stand by anyone irrespective of their politics on issues of rape is abhorrent. The law has taken its course and I’m grateful that judicial processes continue to ensure protection of women & children.”
The court will hear arguments on quantum of sentence on Wednesday. The offences entail maximum punishment of life imprisonment.
The woman was allegedly kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017 when she was a minor.
The court has also framed charges against co-accused Shashi Singh in the case. Sengar, a four-time BJP MLA from UP's Bangermau, was expelled from the party in August 2019.
The court had on August 9 framed charges against the MLA and Singh under Sections 120 b (criminal conspiracy), 363 (kidnapping), 366 (kidnapping or inducing a woman to compel for marriage), 376 (rape) and other sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
The trial in the high profile case was held in-camera after the Supreme Court transferred the matter from Unnao to the national capital.
