The Supreme Court on Monday granted two more weeks to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to complete its investigation into the accident case of the Unnao rape survivor and her lawyer who continue to be in a critical condition.
The CBI had sought four weeks time from the apex court to complete the probe saying statements of the rape victim and her lawyer are yet to be recorded as they are not in a position to give a statement.
The court was also told that the victim’s lawyer continues to be in a critical condition.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court directed the Uttar Pradesh government to pay Rs 5 as lakh interim compensation to the lawyer for his medical expenses.
The court adjourned the matter for further hearing in September.
The court had taken suo moto cognizance of a letter written by the family of the victim alleging threats from men close to expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the main accused in the case.
The rape survivor, who was brought to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) earlier this month, is in a critical condition and on advanced life support system.
Her lawyer too is critical, unconscious and on advanced life support system.
Both the patients were undergoing treatment under a multidisciplinary team of doctors from the Critical Care, Orthopaedics, Trauma Surgery and Pulmonary Medicine departments.
On July 28, the car in which the rape survivor, her lawyer and two of her aunts were travelling was hit by a speeding truck in Rae Bareli.
The accident killed both the aunts and left the other two seriously injured.
Last week, expelled BJP lawmaker Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who was earlier charged for raping the minor in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao, was charged with the murder of her father.
District and Sessions Judge (DSJ) Dharmesh Sharma framed charges against Sengar and nine others involved in the murder of the girl’s father and framing him in a false Arms Act Case.
The court observed that the victim’s father was falsely implicated by planting a country-made pistol along with four cartridges in pursuance of the criminal conspiracy.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court has refused to seek a report from the Uttar Pradesh government on the status of 20 cases lodged against the Unnao rape survivor, now battling for life, and her family members.
The Supreme has further ordered that the transfer of accident case be kept in abeyance for 15 days and will be heard in Lucknow until then.
The court had earlier ordered the transfer all the five cases linked to the Unnao rape and accident case from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi with immediate effect.
The Unnao rape case hit the headlines in 2017 after the then 16-year-old girl alleged that she was raped by BJP MLA Sengar.