New Delhi: On a day when the Supreme Court stayed a Delhi High Court order that had suspended life sentence of expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and granted him bail, his daughter Ishita wrote an open letter claiming that her family is left “exhausted, frightened and slowly losing faith” as their legal battle drags on for eight years.
Sengar, then-MLA from UP’s Bangarmau constituency, was convicted for raping a minor when she went to his residence in 2017 to ask for a job.
In a post on X, the former MLA’s daughter wrote that her family had waited patiently for eight years as they trusted the Constitution and believed that “justice in this country does not depend on noise, hashtags, or public anger.”
Stating that the ‘daughter of BJP MLA’ label seemingly robs her of dignity or the right to speak, Ishita Sengar said: “I have been told countless times on social m
edia that I should be raped, killed, or punished simply for existing. This hatred is not abstract. It is daily. It is relentless. And it breaks something inside you.”
Ishita went on to express that her family was “abused, mocked and dehumanised every single day”, and was left “drained financially, emotionally and physically” because they chose to be silent. She said none listened to them, “not because the facts were weak.. not because the evidence was lacking.. but because our truth was inconvenient.”
More than injustice she now fears “a fear so loud that judges, journalists, institutions, and ordinary citizens are all pressured into silence.”
On Monday, a vacation bench comprising Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices JK Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih issued notice to Kuldeep Sengar seeking his response on CBI’s plea challenging the High Court order.
The top court ruled that Sengar shall not be released from custody.
Kuldeep’s other daughter Aishwarya Sengar, who is part of his legal team, said the defence was not even allowed to advance arguments on the merits.
“I’ve been fighting for justice for the past eight years, but maybe the sorrows of me and my family mean nothing. We have been stripped of our dignity, our peace, and even our basic right to be heard. Still, I hope for justice. I request members of the media not to spread any misinformation,” said Aishwarya.