SC TO HEAR UNNAO VICTIM’S PLEA SEEKING TRANSFER OF CASE

The Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to list the petition filed by Unnao rape survivor seeking the transfer of a criminal case against her in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao to the national capital. A bench headed by Chief Justice NV Ramana said that it would list the matter after advocate Vrinda Grover mentioned it before the Court for urgent listing.

Approaching the top court, Advocate Grover submitted that a non-bailable warrant (NBW) was issued against her by the Unnao ACJM court in an FIR filed by the father of Shubham Singh, one of three men currently facing trial in New Delhi for gangraping the survivor. She termed the case filed by Singh’s father, which alleged that the age-proof document provided by her (survivor) to the police was forged-a “counterblast FIR”.

She said that the case before the Unnao court is being pursued with the “oblique motive to intimidate, silence, and harass” her and claimed that there was a grave threat to her life in Unnao.

“The criminal case in Unnao may be transferred to Delhi to prevent the judicial process from becoming an instrument of oppression and harassment. The transfer of the trial to Delhi will not prejudice the respondents whatsoever, and the same is in the interest of justice, equity, and due process,” stated the plea.