New Delhi, Dec 25: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) will move the Supreme Court to challenge the suspension of life sentence and grant of bail to former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case, officials said on Wednesday.
A CBI spokesperson said the decision was taken after examining the Delhi High Court order passed by a division bench. The agency will file a Special Leave Petition before the apex court at the earliest, seeking to overturn the relief granted to Sengar.
The High Court on Tuesday suspended Sengar’s life sentence pending the disposal of his appeal, noting that he has already spent seven years and five months in prison. However, Sengar will continue to remain behind bars as he is also serving a separate 10-year sentence in connection with the custodial death of the rape survivor’s father.
Sengar had challenged the December 2019 trial court verdict that convicted him and awarded life imprisonment. The appeal was strongly opposed by the CBI as well as the victim’s family, who cited serious safety concerns and past threats.
“The CBI filed timely replies and written arguments in the matter. The victim’s family also opposed the plea. We will immediately challenge the High Court order,” the spokesperson said.
The High Court’s decision triggered strong reactions. The rape survivor and her mother staged a protest against the order but were forcibly removed by Delhi Police, drawing political criticism.
Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi condemned both the bail and the police action, questioning the treatment of a survivor seeking justice. In a post on X, he termed the development “disappointing and shameful” and said granting bail to the convict while using force against the survivor reflected a failure of justice.
Sengar’s sentence has been suspended until his appeal against conviction and sentencing is finally decided by the High Court.
