The Supreme Court of India is set to hear on Monday a plea filed by the CBI challenging the Delhi High Court&rsquo;s decision to suspend the life sentence of Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case.
The matter is likely to be taken up by a three-judge vacation bench led by Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices JK Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih.
Sengar, an expelled BJP MLA, was convicted in December 2019 for the rape of a minor and sentenced to life imprisonment. On December 23, the Delhi High Court suspended his sentence during the pendency of his appeal, noting that he had already served over seven years in prison. The appeal against his conviction remains undecided.
The survivor has expressed faith in the apex court, stating that the case represents the struggle of countless women who seek justice amid systemic failures. She has repeatedly pointed to the threats faced by her family and witnesses, as well as the long delay in institutional response after her complaint.
The case traces back to 2017, when the survivor accused Sengar of rape. Months of inaction followed, culminating in her attempted self-immolation outside the Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister&rsquo;s residence in 2018. Shortly thereafter, her father died in judicial custody, with the family alleging custodial assault by Sengar&rsquo;s supporters.
In 2019, the survivor was critically injured when a truck rammed into her vehicle during trial proceedings, killing two of her aunts. Investigators later described the crash as a deliberate attempt on her life. Owing to the gravity of the circumstances, the Supreme Court transferred the trial from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi, leading to Sengar&rsquo;s conviction.
While the suspension of his rape sentence is under challenge, Sengar continues to remain in jail as he is serving a separate 10-year sentence in the custodial death case of the survivor&rsquo;s father.
Meanwhile, women&rsquo;s rights activists gathered at Jantar Mantar in Delhi, demanding the immediate reversal of the sentence suspension and accountability in cases involving political power and sexual violence.

Top court examines Delhi HC order as protests erupt over Unnao rape case bail

SC to Hear CBI Plea on Sengar Sentence

Top court examines Delhi HC order as protests erupt over Unnao rape case bail

December 28, 2025 | 22:31 IST