India: Unnao rapist BJP MLA continues to have arms licence

Kuldeep Singh Sengar

Unnao (UP), Aug 2 (PTI) Expelled BJP legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar continues to have his arms licence because of delay in the judicial process, police said on Friday, despite he being accused of raping a teenage girl and killing her two family members.

"The cancellation of the arms licence is a judicial matter and not administrative. A decision on it can only be taken after (the court) hearing both the parties," District Magistrate Divendra Kumar Pandey said.

"The police has filed its report in connection with the cancellation of the licence and the MLA's lawyer has also filed a reply on behalf of Sengar. Since lawyers had been on strike, hearing could not take place. Now a decision will be taken," he said.

Sengar has licence to posses a single barrel gun, a rifle and a revolver.

The MLA from Bangermau in Unnao district was arrested by the CBI on April 13, 2018 and is lodged in Sitapur district jail. The process to cancel his gun licence is on since.

He had been charged with raping a woman in 2017 when she was a minor.

Another case was filed against him after the rape survivor had an accident on Sunday in Raebareli district. Two of her aunts died in the trick-car collision and she and her lawyer are in a Lucknow hospital.

They are stated to be stable but on life support.