Hours after taking over Unnao rape case CBI likely to arrest rape accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar

Just hours after the CBI took over the Unnao rape case with the government of India accepting the Uttar Pradesh government's recommendation, the central agency is poised to crack down on the rape-accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, sources confirmed to Republic TV. At the time of publishing, a five-member CBI team is said to be on their way to bring Sengar into custody.

The CBI had on Thursday night registered a case on Sengar and his close associates. Earlier in the day, the Yogi Adityanath-led Uttar Pradesh government had stated before the Allahabad High Court which had taken suo moto cognisance that there wasn't concrete evidence against Sengar in the case, and hence, he wasn't to be arrested.

Just 24 hours before his likely arrest, Sengar had orchestrated high drama at Lucknow as he and his associates reached the Lucknow SSP's office, but rather than surrendering as was the expectation, he claimed that he had the full support of his party and pleaded innocent, saying that he had merely come for a 'meet and greet' with the Police.

On Thursday morning, an FIR was finally lodged against the rape-accused under sections of the IPC as well as POCSO at the Makhi Police station based on the recommendations of the SIT that probed the case on Wednesday. The same SIT also recommended transferring the case to the central agency.

The Congress party had criticised the recommendation to have the CBI take over the case.

"By the time the case will come to CBI and they will do something about it, the accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar will escape", senior Congress leader Kapil Sibal said, asking, "Why has the BJP MLA not been arrested? The PM must reply."

The evidence had continued to pile up against the Sengars, as in a video testimony accessed by Republic TV of the rape victim's father before his death but after his being assaulted, he had named the MLA's brother Atul Singh Sengar as the person who assaulted him. Atul Sengar had been arrested on Tuesday morning, a day after the victim's father had succumbed to his injuries.

On Sunday, the rape victim had attempted self-immolation in front of the Uttar Pradesh chief minister's residence in a desperate attempt to get justice in the case.