Sakshi Maharaj Meets Rape Accused Lawmaker "To Thank Him" For Poll Win

BJP parliamentarian Sakshi Maharaj, known for triggering controversies with his polarising remarks, on Wednesday met party legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is in jail for allegedly raping a 16-year-old girl. The purpose of the visit, the lawmaker said, was to thank Sengar for his massive win in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao constituency in the recently concluded general elections.   

"He has been lodged here for a long time, I came to meet him, to thank him after the elections," Sakshi Maharaj was quoted by news agency ANI as saying.

Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a lawmaker from Bangarmau in Unnao, has been lodged in Sitapur jail after the teen alleged she was raped by him when she went to his home with a relative seeking a job.

She had tried to commit suicide outside Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath's official bungalow in Lucknow, alleging that no one was acting on her rape complaint against Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

Her father suffered severe injuries after being beaten up by Sengar's supporters. But he was the one who was jailed after the assault, under the Arms Act. He died on April 8 in custody. The case was later handed over to the CBI that took Sengar in custody, amid anger and allegations that the state government was trying to shield him.

Sakshi Maharaj, who had threatened his party with consequences if he was not fielded from his constituency, pulled off a staggering victory with over 4 lakh votes.

Within days of his election to the lower house of parliament, he made a controversial remark against West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, who he described as belonging to the "family of demon Hiranyakashyap" because she "conspires against those who say 'Jai Shri Ram'.

The leader has a long history of such comments. While campaigning for the Lok Sabha polls, he had threatened voters with "bad karma" if they did not vote for him.

Last year he had demanded that Delhi's iconic Jama Masjid be demolished as, he claimed, it was constructed on the ruins of a Hindu temple.

With inputs from ANI