Hathras accused lawyer AP Singh: It was a 'filmy' love affair
Controversial lawyer AP Singh has been hired by the 'upper case' Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha to defend the Hathras gangrape case accused. Asianet Newsable spoke to him about his legal strategy.
FollowLawyer Ajay Prakash Singh has often found himself on the wrong side of justice, defending the indefensible. With every case that he takes up -- be it that of Nirbhaya's gangrape or now that of Hathras murder -- lawyer AP Singh's regressive and misogynistic views about women have made headlines.
Controversial lawyer AP Singh has been hired by the Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha to defend the accused in the Hathras case.
He will appear in court to defend the men accused of brutalising a 19-year-old Dalit girl.
Asianet Newsable spoke exclusively to AP Singh to understand his legal strategy this time.
How are you approaching the Hathras case?
I have been approached by the relatives of the accused to contest the Hathras case. On Saturday, (October 10) at 10am, I along with former Union Minister Raja Manvendra Singh and some members of Akhil Bharatiya Kshatriya Mahasabha will meet Hathras SP and the family of the accused. After this, further strategy will be decided in the talks.
In the Hathras case, why do you think it is a case of honour killing?
In Hathras, honour killing happened and not rape. There have been a total of 104 calls in this case. From October 2019 to March 2020, 104 calls were made to the houses of the accused and the victim. Of these, 62 calls were received on the phone of accused Sandeep and 42 calls were made by Sandeep.
The second reason is that the whole case is about a love affair, which the victim's brother felt bad about.
How did the girl get hurt? What caused the spinal injury?
The accused Sandeep was in Delhi for 6 months. He returned home only a few days before the incident. Meanwhile, the victim's brother suspected that she met Sandeep. When everyone sought an explanation, he beat up his sister. Spinal injury occurred during this time. She ran into the farm where there were wires. She got stuck there, causing a tongue injury. The media went on to say that her tongue was cut off. If the tongue was cut, how did she gave the subsequent statement?
How will you prove in court that this is not a case of rape but that of honor killing?
There is no rape mentioned in the medical report. No rape has been mentioned in the first FIR. Initial investigation was not about rape. The first statement is of the mother, in which she says that there was a quarrel. The first FIR was recorded under 307 (attempt to murder). The statements of the mother and villagers are supportive, which tell the truth of the incident.
Was there already enmity between the family of the victim and the accused?
Eyewitnesses in the village say that there was friendship between the victim and the accused. It has also been learned that a few years ago there was a fight over the SC/ST Act between the girl's father and the boy's father. But the kids continued 'filmy style'. There might be a fight between fathers, but they fell in love.
*Was the SC/ST Act misused in Hathras case?
It (SCT/ST Act) was abused at very large levels. When there was a love affair, nobody was speaking on the SC/ST Act. It was when politics arrived -- the leaders arrived -- that the SC/ST Act came into the picture. When the leaders arrived, theory of rape came in. Then they went one step further and called it gangrape.
Will the Hathras case stretch as long as the Nirbhaya case?
This will not happen if the media remains active. The rest, I will do my best to get the decision as soon as possible.
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