A petition has been filed in the Supreme Court against a recent order of the Delhi High Court that suspended the jail sentence of former BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case.

The plea was filed by advocates Anjale Patel and Pooja Shilpkar. They have asked the Supreme Court to put a temporary stop to the High Court’s order. According to the petitioners, the High Court did not properly consider the seriousness of the crime and the findings of the trial court.

The petition says that the trial court had clearly stated that Sengar should remain in jail for the rest of his life. It argues that granting him relief was a serious legal mistake, especially considering his criminal background and involvement in brutal crimes.

The plea also claims that the High Court ignored important evidence that showed how powerful and dangerous Sengar was. It says that even while the rape survivor’s father was in judicial custody, Sengar allegedly planned and carried out his murder to silence the family and block justice.

On December 23, the Delhi High Court suspended Sengar’s life sentence in the rape case, noting that he has already spent over seven years in prison. His sentence has been suspended until his appeal against conviction is decided.

However, Sengar will continue to stay in jail because he is also serving a 10-year sentence in the custodial death case of the survivor’s father. He has not been granted bail in that case.

The High Court placed strict conditions on him, including a personal bond of ₹15 lakh with three sureties. He has also been barred from entering within 5 km of the survivor’s residence in Delhi and from threatening the survivor or her mother. Any violation will lead to cancellation of bail.

About the Unnao rape case

The Unnao rape case came to light in 2017 when a minor girl accused then BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar of raping her. The case gained national attention after the survivor tried to set herself on fire in front of the Chief Minister’s residence in Uttar Pradesh in 2018, alleging police inaction.

Later, the survivor’s father died in police custody, and her family alleged that Sengar was behind the assault that led to his death. In 2019, the Supreme Court transferred the case from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi to ensure a fair trial.

In December 2019, a Delhi court convicted Sengar and sentenced him to life imprisonment for rape. He was also convicted in the custodial death case of the survivor’s father and sentenced to 10 years in jail.