The Supreme Court of India has stopped a Delhi High Court order that suspended the life sentence of former BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar. He was convicted for the rape of a woman who was a minor at the time, in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, in 2017.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
The top court said it has a clear duty towards the survivor. It issued a notice to Sengar after a plea by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which challenged the High Court’s decision. Sengar has been given four weeks to reply.
The court made it clear that Sengar’s personal liberty is not being affected unfairly. He will stay in jail for now, as he is also serving a sentence in another case related to the custodial death of the survivor’s father.
A vacation bench led by Chief Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, also allowed the survivor to join the case and present her side directly.
Before the hearing, the survivor said she trusts the Supreme Court. She also appealed to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath to ensure safety for her and her family. She alleged that Sengar bribed officials, including the investigating officer, and claimed her family has suffered greatly since his release on bail.
The Unnao rape case returned to headlines after the Delhi High Court suspended Sengar’s sentence and granted him bail while his appeal is pending. The High Court said his position as an MLA did not make him a “public servant” and ruled that the child protection law could not be applied. It also noted that the time he had already spent in jail was more than the minimum sentence required under the law it considered.
Following this order, Sengar was released on conditional bail. The conditions included a personal bond of ₹15 lakh, a ban on leaving Delhi, and an order to stay at least five kilometres away from the survivor.
His release was strongly criticised across the country. Tension increased after disturbing scenes in Delhi, where the survivor and her mother were allegedly harassed while trying to protest. There were clashes between security personnel and the survivor’s family, including a shocking incident where the mother appeared to be forced off a moving bus while her daughter remained inside.
Speaking to reporters later, the survivor’s mother broke down and said they had not received justice. She said her daughter was being held against her will and feared for their lives.
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