New Delhi, Jul 11 (NIE): The CBI on Wednesday named Uttar Pradesh BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar as accused in its chargesheet filed in the Unnao gangrape case. In April, a 17-year-old girl had alleged that she was raped by the Bangermau MLA at his residence when she had gone to meet him with a relative seeking a job last year. Sengar, who has remained defiant, is lodged in Sitapur district jail along with Shashi Singh, the woman who allegedly took the victim to the BJP MLA on the day of the crime.

The incident had come to light in April after the woman tried to commit suicide outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath’s residence, alleging police inaction even though she had approached them several months earlier. The kin of the victim had also alleged that the family was thrashed after a complaint was filed with the police in this regard. The incident had led to nationwide anger, prompting the state government to hand over the investigation to CBI.

In its first chargesheet in the Unnao cases, the CBI on Saturday charged five people, including Sengar’s brother of murdering the rape victim’s father. The rape survivor’s father had died in judicial custody after he was slapped with arms act by the local police and succumbed to injuries in the absence of treatment on April 8.

The chargesheet, filed with special judicial magistrate (CBI) Sapna Tripathi in Lucknow, names the legislator’s brother Jai Deep Singh alias Atul Singh, Vineet Mishra, Birendra Singh alias Bauwa Singh, Ram Sharan Singh alias Sonu Singh and Shashi Pratap alias Suman. The five are presently lodged in Lucknow district jail.