Today, On 16th January, Kuldeep Sengar approached the High Court, seeking suspension of his sentence in the case related to the death of the Unnao rape survivor’s father. He has requested the court to delay his prison term while his appeal is pending. Sengar was convicted in connection with the father’s death, which occurred under suspicious circumstances. The court will now review his petition to decide on the matter.
New Delhi: Ex-BJP leader Kuldeep Sengar filed a request in the Delhi High Court on Thursday to suspend his 10-year prison sentence related to the custodial death of the father of the Unnao rape survivor.
Sengar argued for this relief on the basis that his appeal against the conviction and sentence is still pending before the high court, and he has already served a significant amount of time in jail.
The former lawmaker, currently out on interim bail until January 20 for medical reasons, also requested an extension of his release period, citing a scheduled cataract surgery at AIIMS on January 24.
Previously, on December 5, the court had temporarily suspended Sengar’s sentence and ordered a medical evaluation at AIIMS following claims of his ailments, including cataract.
Meanwhile, Delhi High Court on 3rd Dec directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to respond to a plea from expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is seeking suspension of his 10-year prison sentence on medical grounds. This sentence was imposed for the custodial death of the father of the Unnao rape victim.
The CBI’s counsel informed the court that in June this year, the High Court had already declined to suspend Sengar’s sentence while his appeal against the conviction was pending.
Sengar’s counsel argued that his health was deteriorating, making the suspension necessary due to a medical emergency. He also pointed out that Sengar has already served eight years in jail, close to the maximum 10-year term, and his appeal has not been heard for a significant period.
Previously, Sengar was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for raping the deceased man’s minor daughter in 2017.
The Unnao rape case involves a young woman from Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, who was allegedly raped by Kuldeep Sengar, a former Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), in 2017. The survivor, who was a minor at the time of the incident, reported the crime, but the police initially delayed taking action due to the accused’s political influence.
As the case gained national attention, the survivor’s father was arrested under false charges and later died in police custody under suspicious circumstances in 2018. This led to widespread protests and demands for justice.
The case was eventually transferred to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), and Sengar was convicted in 2019 for both the rape and the death of the survivor’s father. The survivor’s mother and supporters continued their fight for justice, leading to the eventual conviction of Sengar, but the survivor’s legal battle continues in seeking full justice for the crimes committed against her and her family.