The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) today arrested BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in connection with the Unnao gangrape case. The arrest of the BJP MLA comes hours after he was detained by the CBI for questioning.

Confirming the developments, a senior CBI officer told India Today that, “after initial investigation and gathering evidence in the case, we have arrested Kuldeep Singh Sengar under charges of rape and POCSO Act. He will be produced tomorrow (Saturday) before the court for police remand.”

The BJP MLA from Bangarmau was picked from his residence in Lucknow early on Friday morning. The arrest came a day after Allahabad High Court slammed the Uttar Pradesh government for the Unnao rape incident and questioned the delay in the arrest of Sengar.

Sengar has also been accused of using his influence to avoid arrest in the case. After the case was transferred to the CBI on Thursday night, the agency registered three FIRs in the case. In one of them, they booked the MLA under sections of rape and stringent POCSO Act (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act).

THE DETENTION

After completing the documentation process, Kuldeep Singh was detained by the police early morning today, giving hope to everyone demanding justice for the survivor. The CBI questioned the lawmaker about his whereabouts on the day of the crime and about his relationship with the survivor’s family.

The agency also questioned the jail officials and doctors in connection with the death of the survivor’s father and if there was any pressure or instruction from the BJP MLA about it. The post mortem report of the father showed he died of intestinal perforations that he sustained while being thrashed in the police custody and subsequent septicemia and blood poisoning.

Multiple teams of the CBI recorded statements of the witnesses, prepared documents while a separate team questioned the accused. A team also visited the crime scene at Unnao’s Makhi village. The agency also recorded statements of a few villagers in connection with the case.

Another team of the agency met the survivor’s family to understand the entire incident. “I was asked the details about the entire incident. The CBI recorded statement of the girl and the family members. They have also called all of us tomorrow in Lucknow.”

ALLAHABAD COURT RAPS UP GOVT

Earlier today, Allahabad High Court directed the CBI to immediately arrest Sengar, accused in the Unnao rape case, and rapped the Uttar Pradesh government saying the law and order machinery and officials were directly under his influence.

The CBI has also registered three separate cases in connection with the alleged rape. The cases pertain to the alleged rape, killing of the girl’s father and a case of arms act. The girl’s father allegedly died in custody and the autopsy report showed injury marks on his body.

The BJP MLA, on Wednesday night had appeared before the Lucknow SSP. He had refuted the allegations and had also said that he was open for investigations.

UNNAO GANGRAPE CASE

The heinous crime came to light after the victim and her family attempted immolation on April 8 outside the residence of Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath over alleged inaction against Sengar.

The victim had also alleged that her 50-year-old father was beaten up by the goons of the MLA on April 3.

Earlier today, five-member Special Investigation Team that was probing the allegation against the BJP MP submitted its report to the UP DGP office after recording the statements of the victim and her family. The report was forwarded to the Chief Minister’s office for further action.

Meanwhile, the wife of the accused MLA Sengar, demanded a narco test claiming that her husband was being falsely implicated in the case.