‘Investigating officer cooperated with judge so that I don’t pursue case’: Unnao rape survivor

The Unnao rape case survivor has levelled grave allegations against the investigating officer (IO), claiming he “colluded with the judge” to ensure that former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar benefited, days after the Delhi High Court granted him bail and stayed his life sentence in the rape case.

The survivor and her mother met senior Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) officials on Saturday and submitted a formal complaint, accusing the IO of acting against the interests of justice.  

Speaking to reporters, the survivor said the alleged collusion was aimed at demoralising her and forcing her to abandon the legal battle.

“The investigating officer wronged me. He colluded with the judge so that the other party would win, my courage would be broken and I would not be able to pursue the case further,” she alleged, as quoted by ANI.

She further claimed that had the CBI firmly supported her legal team, the outcome could have been different. “If the CBI had stood with my lawyer, we wouldn’t have had to see this day. We would have won, and they would have lost,” she said.

Reacting sharply to the bail order, the survivor’s mother also questioned the agency’s conduct. “If the CBI meets us, only then will we trust them. How can we trust them otherwise?” she asked. She alleged that the investigating officer was seen speaking to Sengar’s daughter inside the court premises.

“When we asked him if he knew the victim, he said, ‘Why would I know her?’ He said this in a crowded court,” she claimed.

Sengar, a former Uttar Pradesh MLA, was convicted in December 2019 for raping the minor survivor and sentenced to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25 lakh.

The Delhi High Court’s recent decision to grant him bail and suspend the life sentence triggered widespread outrage, with opposition parties and activists accusing the system of failing the survivor.

The CBI has since approached the Supreme Court, challenging the High Court’s order and seeking a stay on the bail. The agency has argued that the suspension of the life sentence undermines the seriousness of the crime and the survivor’s long struggle for justice.

Despite being granted bail in the rape case, Sengar will remain in jail as he is serving a separate 10-year sentence in another CBI case related to a murder.

The High Court’s order also sparked protests in the national capital on Saturday. Several activists and political leaders, including Yogita Bhayana and Congress leader Mumtaz Patel, staged a sit-in near the Parliament complex demanding the restoration of Sengar’s life sentence. Police detained multiple demonstrators, citing law and order concerns.

As the matter now moves to the Supreme Court, the survivor’s allegations against the investigating officer have added a fresh and troubling dimension to one of India’s most high-profile rape cases, intensifying scrutiny of the investigation and judicial process.