The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday (December 29, 2025) stayed Delhi High Court’s order suspending Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s life sentence in 2017 Unnao rape case, ensuring he remains in jail. A three-judge vacation Bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, comprising of Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih issued notice to Sengar seeking his response on the Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) challenged the High Court’s order before the Supreme Court. The Delhi High Court ordered release of Sengar from the custody on December 23, 2025, following which, the CBI challenged a plea against the HC’s order in the SC. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, urged the Bench to stay the high court order. The Bench said, it would examine the matter and that Sengar should not be released from custody. The matter will be heard by the Bench after four weeks.
Unnao rape case, 2017
It has been alleged that the convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar, former Member of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly had raped the victim by enticing and inducing the victim to accompany her, on the pretext of providing a job at the residence of the convict. It also involved the death of the survivor’s father in custody, for which Sengar was separately convicted. The survivor did not reveal the incident to anyone, as she was threatened by the convict. Later the victim opened up about the incident and an FIR was registered. Eventually Kuldeep Singh Sengar was convicted for offences punishable under Sections 376/363/366 of the IPC read with Sections 5(c)/6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 passed by the District & Sessions Judge-West District, Tis Hazari Courts. He was sentenced to life imprisonment for rape.
