CBI to Challenge Suspension of Kuldeep Sengar Sentence
The Central Bureau of Investigation has decided to approach the Supreme Court challenging the suspension of the life sentence awarded to former Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case. The agency is set to file a Special Leave Petition against the Delhi High Court order that suspended Sengar’s sentence while his appeal against conviction is pending.
High Court Grants Interim Relief
The Delhi High Court recently suspended Sengar’s life sentence and granted him bail, citing the length of time he has already spent in custody and the fact that his appeal is yet to be heard. The court imposed strict conditions, including restrictions on his movement and directions not to contact the survivor or her family. The suspension applies only to the rape conviction sentence.
Sengar Remains in Jail
Despite the suspension of the life term in the rape case, Sengar continues to remain in prison as he is serving a separate 10-year sentence in another case linked to the custodial death of the rape survivor’s father. Officials clarified that the high court order does not result in his immediate release.
Case Background
Kuldeep Singh Sengar was convicted in December 2019 for the rape of a minor girl in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, and sentenced to life imprisonment by a Delhi court after the trial was transferred out of the state. The case had drawn nationwide attention due to allegations of intimidation, official lapses, and subsequent developments involving the victim’s family.
CBI’s Stand
The CBI has maintained that suspending the sentence in such a serious crime sets a wrong precedent and undermines the gravity of the offence. The agency is expected to seek an urgent hearing in the Supreme Court to overturn the high court’s decision.
