The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to suspend the 10-year jail sentence of former Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the case linked to the custodial death of the Unnao rape survivor’s father. The court made it clear that no fresh grounds had been shown to justify relief, marking another legal setback for the convicted politician.
Background of the Case
The case traces back to April 2018, when the father of the Unnao rape survivor was brutally assaulted in public while visiting Unnao for a court hearing. The very next day, he was arrested by police on allegations of illegal possession of arms.
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He later died in custody due to severe injuries. The incident drew nationwide outrage and raised serious questions about police conduct and political influence.
In August 2019, the Supreme Court transferred the trial of five related cases, including the custodial death matter, from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi. In March 2020, a trial court convicted Sengar and others for culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 of the IPC and sentenced them to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment.
Sengar was already serving a life sentence after being convicted in December 2019 for raping the minor survivor.
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Court’s Observations
Justice Ravinder Dudeja, while dismissing Sengar’s plea for suspension of sentence, noted that the application lacked merit and raised no new grounds.
“The court is conscious of the fact that the applicant has undergone a long period of incarceration, but that alone cannot be a reason to grant relief,” the judge observed.
The court also took note that the delay in hearing the appeal was partly due to repeated applications filed by Sengar himself.
“The appeal deserves to be heard on merits and at the earliest,” Justice Dudeja said, while clarifying that suspension of sentence was not warranted at this stage.
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What the Court Decided
Rejecting the plea, the High Court held:
- There was no fresh circumstance justifying suspension of sentence
- The accused had criminal antecedents
- Delay in hearing could not be used as a ground for release
- The appeal should be taken up for final hearing instead
The court also recalled that while a division bench had earlier suspended Sengar’s sentence in the rape case, the Supreme Court stayed that relief within days.
With this order, Kuldeep Singh Sengar will continue to remain in custody in connection with the custodial death of the Unnao rape survivor’s father. The High Court has made it clear that the matter must now be decided on merits, closing the door-at least for now-on any interim relief.
Case Title: Kuldeep Singh Sengar v. CBI
