SC refuses relief to Kuldeep Sengar in death case of Unnao survivor's father, directs HC to hear plea
On January 19, the Delhi High Court had refused to suspend Sengar's 10-year jail term in the case on the grounds of delay in trial, saying it was partly caused by the multiple applications he had filed in the matter.
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant immediate relief to rape-convict and former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the custodial-death case of the Unnao rape victim's father, directing the Delhi High Court to hear his appeal and decide on his bail within three months.
A bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant observed that while the Court was not staying Sengar's 10-year sentence, the High Court should take up the matter within a week, hear the appeal, and deliver a judgment within three months. "We deem it a fit case to request the High Court to hear the appeal and decide the same but not later than three months," the Court said.
The apex court also instructed that any connected appeals filed by the complainant be heard simultaneously.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Sengar, argued that the former MLA had served approximately 9 years and 7 months of his sentence and sought a temporary stay for the remaining term. The Solicitor General informed the Court that the appeal is scheduled for hearing in the Delhi High Court on February 11 and requested priority consideration.
Justice Joymalya Bagchi questioned whether the appeal should have been filed under the murder section, while CJI Surya Kant noted that Sengar has actually served just over seven years of the sentence, emphasizing that granting remission in such a serious and morally reprehensible case remains highly debatable.
During the hearing, the Chief Justice warned Sengar’s lawyer, Mehmood Pracha, against commenting on the case to the media, cautioning that his license could be suspended for conducting a “media trial” of the matter.
The SC clarified that it was not expressing any opinion on the merits of the case, underscoring that the Delhi High Court must dispose of the appeal based on its merits within the stipulated three-month timeframe.