Supreme Court to hear CBI plea against bail to Kuldeep Sengar in Unnao rape case

The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear today, the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) appeal challenging the Delhi High Court’s decision to suspend the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case .

A three-judge vacation bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will take up the matter. The CBI has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) against the Delhi High Court’s December 23 order, which suspended Sengar’s life imprisonment pending appeal and granted him bail.

Sengar , a former Uttar Pradesh MLA, was convicted in December 2019 for the rape of a minor in Unnao district in 2017. A Delhi court, which heard the case after it was transferred from Uttar Pradesh on the Supreme Court’s directions, sentenced him to life imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 25 lakh. The case had drawn nationwide attention amid allegations of political influence, threats to the victim’s family, and lapses in investigation.

Although Sengar was granted bail in the rape case following the High Court’s order, he continues to remain in jail as he is serving a separate 10-year sentence in another CBI case related to the custodial death of the rape victim’s father.

Meanwhile, the survivor and her mother met officials of the CBI in New Delhi on Saturday and submitted a complaint alleging serious misconduct in the handling of the case. They accused the investigating officer (IO) of colluding with a judge to weaken the prosecution and favour the accused.

Speaking to reporters, the survivor said she had sought a meeting with a senior CBI official but was informed it was a holiday and advised to return on Monday. “A junior official received my application and assured me that the senior officer would meet us on Monday,” she said.

Alleging grave irregularities, the survivor claimed the investigating officer acted against her interests. “The IO colluded with the judge to ensure the accused side won, so that the rape victim would lose courage and be unable to pursue the case further,” she alleged.

Her mother echoed similar concerns, stating that the family is prepared to approach the Supreme Court. “They have accepted our complaint. Now we will see when the authorities meet us. We trust the Supreme Court,” she told reporters.

She further added that while the CBI is handling the case, the family’s faith in the agency would depend on its conduct during the Supreme Court proceedings. “The CBI is there, but I will trust them only if they stand by us in the Supreme Court,” she said.

The Supreme Court’s upcoming hearing is expected to examine whether the High Court was justified in suspending Sengar’s life sentence and granting bail, a move that has raised questions about judicial discretion in cases involving serious sexual offences and the rights of survivors.