In a significant development, the Delhi High Court  has dismissed former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s application seeking the suspension of his 10-year sentence in connection with the custodial death of the Unnao rape survivor’s father.

Justice Ravinder Dudeja observed that although Sengar has served nearly 7.5 years of his 10-year sentence and his appeal against conviction remains pending due to delays, Sengar contributed to those delays by filing multiple applications.

The court therefore rejected his plea for bail and suspension of sentence.

Background:

Kuldeep Singh Sengar was  convicted  for kidnapping and  raping a minor girl  from Unnao  district, in  Uttar Pradesh between June 11 and June 20, 2017. She was then sold for ₹60,000. He was also accused of causing the  custodial death of the girl’s father  due to police brutality in 2018, and was sentenced to  life imprisonment for the rape and 10 years’ imprisonment  for the  custodial death. 

The case caused widespread  outrage after a suspicious lorry accident  injured the victim and her lawyer and killed two  of her aunts.  In 2019,  the Supreme Court transferred the  trials to Delhi to ensure speedy  proceedings.

Later, a Delhi court rejected bail in the custodial death case, and in June 2024, the Delhi High Court also refused bail, citing the seriousness of the crime and its impact on public trust. However, the Delhi High Court recently granted bail in the rape case, which was stayed by the Supreme Court after an appeal by the CBI.

 Order Awaited

Case Title: KULDEEP SINGH SENGAR vs. CENTRAL BUREAU OF INVESTIGATION [ CRL.A. 53/2020]