New Delhi |
The Supreme Court of India today stayed a Delhi High Court order that would have seen convicted former MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar walk out of prison on bail. Sengar who is serving a life sentence for the 2017 rape of a minor in Unnao, will remain behind bars as the apex court reviews the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) appeal against his release.
Just a few days earlier on December 23, when the Delhi High Court granted Sengar conditional bail and suspended his life sentence. The High Court had cited the seven-plus years Sengar had already served and raised a technical question; whether a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) qualifies as a “public servant” under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
However, the CBI moved quickly to challenge this, arguing that Sengar’s immense political influence and the gravity of his crimes made his release a threat to the judicial process. On Monday, a vacation bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant agreed, noting that Sengar shall not be released while the matter is under consideration.
At first, initial bail decision led to protests at Jantar Mantar and India Gate with participation from the survivor, her mother and women’s rights groups. The survivor and her family voiced concerns for their safety, alleging threats from Sengar’s associates and requesting increased security. Security measures have been reinforced around the survivor’s family.
Unnao Rape Case Background
In 2017, a teenage girl in Unnao was raped by powerful MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. When she fought for justice, her family faced a wave of retaliation. Her father was arrested on false charges and beaten to death in custody and later, a suspicious truck crash killed two of her aunts and left her critically injured.
Then the case became a national symbol of the “politicization of crime,” forcing the Supreme Court to move the trial to Delhi for safety. By 2020, Sengar was sentenced to life in prison for the rape and an additional 10 years for the father’s death.
