The Delhi High Court on Monday rejected a plea by expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar seeking suspension of his 10-year sentence in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor’s father.
A single-judge Bench of Justice Ravinder Dudeja dismissed Sengar’s second application for suspension of sentence and grant of bail, citing the seriousness of the offence, his criminal antecedents, and the absence of any fresh or subsequent development warranting relief.
In its order, the court noted that Sengar has already undergone nearly seven and a half years of incarceration out of the total 10-year sentence.
It observed that the delay in hearing his appeal could not be a ground for suspension, particularly as the delay was partly attributable to Sengar himself due to repeated applications, including pleas seeking suspension of his sentence.
The Bench emphasised that the appeal must be decided on its merits and directed that it be heard expeditiously. It reiterated that the nature of the crime and its impact on public confidence in the justice delivery system weighed heavily against granting bail.
Background of the Custodial Death Case
A Delhi court convicted Sengar in March 2020 for conspiring in the custodial death of the rape survivor’s father and sentenced him to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment.
The case relates to an April 2018 incident in Unnao in which Sengar’s associates allegedly assaulted the victim’s father. Police arrested him the following day on charges of illegal possession of arms, and he later died in custody due to multiple injuries.
The Supreme Court had transferred the trial of this case, along with other matters linked to the Unnao incident, from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi in August 2019, directing day-to-day hearings.
Earlier, in June 2024, the Delhi High Court had rejected a similar plea by Sengar.
While the High Court had recently suspended his life sentence in the 2017 rape case, the Supreme Court stayed that order, ensuring he remains in custody.
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