Lucknow: Accused of rape and a hand in murder, Kuldeep Singh Sengar had God on his lips on Saturday. Not once but thrice.
" Bhagwan par bharosa hai (I have faith in God)," the BJP lawmaker from Uttar Pradesh told reporters, repeating the words twice, minutes before he was produced in a CBI court.
"I believe in the judiciary," the Bangermau MLA added. "Everything will come to light. Don't worry."
The public invocation of higher powers by the legislator apparently followed deeply respectful comments about women.
A CBI source said Kuldeep, who was arrested on Friday night in connection with the Unnao rape, told those questioning him that he respected every woman as his mother.
"He broke down when his call details (to the victim and also police) were shown to him and an audio and a video clip were played. He admitted he had tried every trick to save his brother Atul Singh Sengar, who was involved in intimidating the family of the rape victim and beating up her father, who eventually died in an Unnao prison under mysterious circumstances," a CBI officer said.
"He cried inconsolably and said he treated every woman as his own mother."
Kuldeep also appealed to the media to help him. "I also trust you. You should help me," the MLA, known for assaulting mediapersons in Unnao in the past, told reporters after the court sent him to CBI custody for seven days.
The victim has alleged that the MLA, his brother and their henchmen gang-raped her on June 4, 2017, while her father was brutally beaten up by Atul and the aides on April 3 this year.
Instead of taking action against the accused, the police had booked the victim's father under the arms act and put him in jail, where he died of his injuries on April 9, which finally forced the Yogi Adityanath government to book the ruling party legislator. Atul has also been arrested.
Told about Kuldeep's comments on Saturday, the victim said: "He is a pervert who not only beats up his critics but also tortures them by throwing burning rubber tyres on them. I made the mistake of going to him for a job and he did what an animal does."
Her uncle accused Kuldeep of giving "shelter" to anti-nationals. "He conducts illegal sand-mining, runs illegal vehicle stands and extorts money from people," the uncle added.
The uncle's allegations, as well as the one about throwing burning tyres, could not be independently confirmed.
A CBI source said Kuldeep would be brought face to face with the victim and her family on Saturday night. The agency has arrested Shashi Singh, the woman alleged to have taken the victim to the MLA.
