New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has approached the Big Court with a special leave petition contesting the Delhi High Court’s recent decision to suspend the life sentence of former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the high-profile Unnao rape case, according to officials.
The Delhi High Court’s order, issued on December 23, suspended Sengar’s sentence while his appeal is being heard and granted him conditional bail. However, Sengar remains incarcerated due to a separate CBI conviction carrying a 10-year sentence for the murder of the victim’s father.
In December 2019, a trial court convicted Sengar of raping a minor in Unnao in 2017 and imposed a life term along with a ₹25 lakh fine. He appealed the verdict in January 2020 and sought suspension of his sentence in March 2022. Officials noted that both the CBI and the victim’s legal representatives strongly opposed the suspension petition in the Delhi High Court.
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Protests against the bail order persisted for a second day on Friday, with several women gathering outside the Delhi High Court premises. Demonstrators held placards demanding justice for the survivor, including messages such as “Unnao ki beti nyay mein deri nehi, nyay chahti hai” (Unnao’s daughter doesn’t want delay in justice, she wants justice) and “Unnao sister I’m sorry.” The protesters sat peacefully, occasionally raising slogans, though Delhi Police urged them to disperse, warning of potential legal action.
Mehmood Pracha, the advocate for the Unnao rape survivor, stated that his team is preparing to file their own petition in the Supreme Court, independent of the CBI’s action. He emphasized that the CBI is the primary prosecuting agency but added that they plan to register an FIR with the CBI against officials allegedly assisting Sengar. Pracha described the development as a threat to the safety of female children in India and called for nationwide protests to protect women.
Additionally, two advocates filed an appeal on Thursday challenging the Delhi High Court’s suspension of Sengar’s sentence.