Advocate Mehmood Pracha strongly criticised the Delhi High Court’s decision to grant conditional bail to Unnao rape case convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar, calling it a “complete perversion of law” and warning that the victim and her family remain under serious threat.
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NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court has suspended the life sentence and granted conditional bail to Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the convict in the infamous 2017 Unnao rape case. The decision has sparked outrage from the victim’s family, legal experts, and civil rights advocates, who argue the ruling undermines justice for survivors of sexual violence.
Speaking out strongly against the judgment, Advocate Mehmood Pracha, counsel for the survivor, condemned the bail order as a “complete perversion of the law.”
In his statement, Pracha questioned the logic behind showing mercy to a convicted rapist who, he says, continued to orchestrate attacks on the victim and her family even while incarcerated. Highlighting the ongoing threat to the survivor’s safety, he asked:
“What kind of logic is this? Why is he deserving of mercy?”
he asked, adding that public scrutiny is essential in such cases.
Pracha also voiced frustration at the lack of faith in the Supreme Court to deliver justice and urged public outrage as a catalyst for change. He claimed both the central government and the Uttar Pradesh government have opposed his legal efforts, making the fight for justice even more challenging.
The advocate further alleged that whether Sengar remains inside or outside a five-kilometre radius makes little difference, noting that the survivor’s father was allegedly killed by a police SHO while Sengar was in power.
Pracha also claimed that both the central government and the Uttar Pradesh government are opposing the survivor’s legal fight “with all their might,” including hiring top lawyers to argue for the withdrawal of security and to counter the survivor’s case in court.
Given the circumstances, he stated that the legal team requires sufficient time to prepare.
“We don’t want to go into this fight unprepared,”
Pracha stated, adding that public pressure remains the only source of hope for justice.
However, he expressed limited confidence in the Supreme Court, saying expectations remain low.
The High Court Ordered
On December 23, 2025, a bench of the Delhi High Court suspended Sengar’s life imprisonment, originally awarded by a trial court, and granted him bail pending appeal. The bail comes with stringent conditions, including:
- Personal bond of ₹15 lakh with three sureties of equal amount.
- Mandatory weekly reporting to police (every Monday).
- Residency in Delhi and surrender of his passport.
- Prohibition from approaching within 5 km of the survivor’s residence and any contact or threats toward her or her mother, violation of which could cancel the bail.
However, Sengar remains in custody on separate charges, including a 10-year sentence for the custodial death of the victim’s father, a conviction unrelated to the rape sentence.
Survivor and Family Response
The Unnao rape case survivor has announced that she will move the Supreme Court to challenge the Delhi High Court’s order granting conditional bail to convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar.
Reacting to the decision, the survivor said the judgment had deeply shaken her faith in the justice system. She stated that the ruling left her emotionally devastated but reaffirmed her resolve to continue fighting for justice for the sake of her children and family.
Questioning the fairness of the legal process, she pointed out that her uncle remains in jail despite repeated bail pleas in a case she alleges was falsely lodged by Sengar’s brother, while Sengar himself has been granted bail. She claimed the decision reflected the influence of power and money.
The survivor also alleged political interference in the case, claiming that influential leaders backed Sengar and asserting that powerful interests played a role in the outcome. She said she would approach the Supreme Court seeking justice.
She further accused Delhi Police of using force during a recent protest near India Gate, alleging that she and her family were prevented from holding a dharna and that she was mishandled despite her medical condition. She also claimed that activist Yogita Bhayana, who accompanied her, was detained and later released.
The survivor’s mother expressed serious concerns over their safety, alleging repeated attacks on the family in the past and claiming that their security cover had been withdrawn. She said the family feared further harm following Sengar’s release on bail and expressed a loss of faith in the Delhi High Court’s decision.
ALSO READ: Supreme Court Orders Delhi Govt to Report on Threat to Unnao Rape Victim’s Mother
Background
The Unnao rape case has been marked by a series of tragic and controversial incidents involving the survivor’s family:
- April 2018: The survivor’s father was arrested under the Arms Act after an alleged complaint by Sengar’s associates. He later died in police custody. A post-mortem revealed 14 injuries on his body.
- July 2019: A day after the survivor wrote to the then Chief Justice of India seeking justice, a truck rammed into the car carrying her and her lawyer. Two of her aunts were killed in the crash. The survivor and her lawyer were seriously injured, and the lawyer later died.
- December 2019: Kuldeep Singh Sengar was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court.
The case dates back to 2017, when Sengar, who was later expelled from the BJP, allegedly kidnapped and raped a minor girl. In 2019, the Supreme Court transferred the rape case and related cases from a trial court in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi for impartial proceedings.
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Unnao Rape
