Unnao rape case: Supreme Court stays Delhi HC's order allowing suspension of Kuldeep Sengar's life sentence

The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Delhi High Court’s order suspending the life sentence of former Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and granting him bail in the 2017 Unnao rape case.

A three-judge vacation bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant was hearing a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the High Court’s December 23 order. The apex court noted that Sengar continues to remain in custody as he is serving a separate sentence in another criminal case.

“We are informed that the convict has also been convicted and sentenced in another case and is still in custody. Considering such peculiar circumstances, we stay the operation of the impugned order. The respondent shall not be released,” the bench said.


The court also issued notice to Sengar and sought his response to the CBI’s plea within two weeks.

Sengar was convicted in December 2019 in the Unnao rape case and sentenced to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25 lakh. While the Delhi High Court had suspended his sentence pending appeal and granted him bail, Sengar has remained in jail as he is serving a 10-year sentence in a separate CBI case related to the custodial death of the survivor’s father.

(With inputs from agencies)