Unnao rape case: Police say no poison found in body of key witness

Mohmmad Yunus Khan was a witness in the CBI case registered after the death of the father of a minor who was allegedly raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar.

Forensic examination did not find any poison in the viscera samples of Mohmmad Yunus Khan, the key witness in the alleged murder of Unnao rape victim’s father, police said on Sunday.

A protestor stands with a placard during a protest against rape cases, in New Delhi. (AP File Photo)

Yunus’s body was exhumed on August 25 amid tension after the rape victim’s uncle alleged that he was poisoned to death, but ADG, law and order, Anand Kumar said no poison was found in the viscera samples sent for chemical analysis to the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Lucknow.

“This should end all the speculation and settle the cause of the death,” he said.

Unnao SP Harish Kumar confirmed he had received the FSL report and said all the allegations made by the uncle of the rape victim had been found false.

A panel of three doctors conducted the autopsy and didn’t find anything unusual behind the death.

Yunus was a witness in the CBI case registered after the death of the father of a minor who was allegedly raped by BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar.

Shabeena Khatoon, wife of Yunus, who had attempted self-immolation at the residence of the UP CM, Yogi Adityanath, on August 25 over the exhumation of the body, said she was mulling legal action against the uncle.

“Our family stands vindicated. I have been saying right from the start the uncle knew Yunus was ailing and died a natural death. He was in the village the day he died,” she said, adding, “Yet he used my husband’s death to make his case strong. Now that it is clear there was no foul play in his death, I will explore my legal options against him.”

Yunus, who was under treatment for Hepatitis C, had died on August 18 and his body was exhumed a week later after the rape victim’s uncle alleged foul play. Yunus, according to him, had been poisoned and murdered to help BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar and his brother Atul Sengar.

Congress president Rahul Gandhi had also termed the death a result of a conspiracy.