Major justice for the victim: Kiran Bedi after SC’s verdict in Unnao rape case

New Delhi, Dec 29 As the Supreme Court stayed the operation of the Delhi High Court order that had suspended the life sentence and granted bail to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case, former IPS officer and former Lieutenant Governor of Puducherry, Kiran Bedi, on Monday said that the verdict amounted to “major justice” for the victim.

Speaking to IANS, Kiran Bedi said the Supreme Court’s decision was not a setback for the convict but a reaffirmation of justice for the survivor.

“This is major justice for the victim. It is not a setback for the criminal; it is justice for the victim. Given the abundance of evidence, this decision is a setback for the rich and powerful. This man was a sitting MLA of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly,” she said.

Bedi questioned how individuals accused of serious crimes manage to attain positions of power.

“What is truly shameful is how we elect such people. They take an oath to protect the Constitution, win the trust of the people, and then commit crimes like rape. I believe this reflects a serious flaw in the way we choose our representatives,” she told IANS.

Calling the Supreme Court’s intervention a larger message for society, Bedi said the verdict showed the strength of collective demand for justice.

“It is very good justice delivered. It also shows that where there is mass appeal for justice, it works - whether through the media or other platforms,” she added.

Highlighting the survivor’s struggle, Bedi described the case as a battle between extreme power and helplessness.

“This was the fight of a lone girl. On one side stood a giant, and on the other, a helpless straw. She was exploited and subjected to grave injustice, yet she did not lose courage. We salute the bravery of this girl and her family,” she said.

Recalling the hardships faced by the victim, Bedi said, “Her father was killed, her lawyer was killed—what could be a greater injustice than this? Despite everything, she never gave up and continued to stand firm. Credit also goes to the volunteers who supported her throughout this long struggle.”

Expressing pain over the earlier suspension of the sentence, Bedi said it was deeply disturbing that imprisonment was stayed on technical grounds.

“It is even more distressing that such a decision came from an honourable High Court. However, today, even during the vacation period, the Supreme Court intervened. This shows that if you fight, raise a collective voice, and come together to seek justice - for yourself and for what is right - justice is eventually delivered. Today, that justice has been delivered by the Supreme Court,” she told IANS.

Bedi also reacted to the Supreme Court staying its own order on the Aravalli Hills issue and said, “We are grateful to the Supreme Court for hearing the collective voice of the people. The Aravalli range is billions of years old, and if that judgment had been implemented, the Aravallis would have been finished in 20 years. This is a very big relief.”

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court stayed the operation of the Delhi High Court order that had suspended the life sentence and granted bail to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case.

"We are conscious of the fact that when a convict or an undertrial has been released, such orders are not ordinarily stayed by this court without hearing such persons. But in view of peculiar facts, where the convict is also convicted for a separate offence, we stay the operation of the Delhi High Court," ordered a three-judge Bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant.

The bench, also comprising Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, issued notice to Sengar in the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) plea and directed that a counter-affidavit be filed within four weeks.

The apex court clarified that Sengar will not be released pursuant to the impugned Delhi High Court’s order.

The CJI-led Bench agreed to examine the submission of Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, who argued that the Delhi High Court’s interpretation would mean a police constable could be treated as a "public servant" under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, while a member of the legislature would stand excluded.

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