Kuldeep Sengar, a four-time BJP MLA from Unnao district, was expelled from the party in August 2019.
Former BJP leader Kuldeep Sengar and brother have been convicted for assault on the father of the Unnao rape survivor two years ago. Kuldeep Sengar has already been convicted for the rape of the teen from Unnao. Both were charged with culpable homicide not amounting to murder. The judge at the Delhi court, where the case was heard, said the man was brutally beaten, but there was no intention of murder.
Calling it the "most challenging trial" of his life, the judge said the Central Bureau of Investigation, which was in charge of the case, "has done a good job".
The rape case, which made international headlines, came under scanner when the girl -- after running from pillar to post for justice -- tried to commit suicide outside Yogi Adityanath's home. The next day, her father - who was framed in an Arms Act case, beaten and arrested - died in jail.
The postmortem report said the man had died due to blood poisoning from a perforated intestine. It also listed 14 bruises all over his body.
Hours before his death, the man was taken to a hospital with complaints of stomach pains. At the time, his face bore multiple bruise and lacerations. But doctors decided that he was well enough to stay in jail.
During the routine medical check-up before he was locked up, the 55-year-old had named Atul Singh Sengar as his attacker.
"Atul Singh, the brother of the lawmaker thrashed me. He kept on beating me. Nobody tried to save me," he was heard saying in a video that surfaced months later. "Police waale (police men -- perhaps the security personnel of the lawmaker) were standing there. They did nothing," says the man, bruises plainly visible on his face and chest.
In August last year, while charging Kuldeep Sengar and his brother for murder, the court said it was "part of a larger conspiracy to deter, silence and prevent the father from pursuing the complaint" in the rape case.
Three policemen, who were also linked to the case, were also charged with murder.