CBI to Challenge Suspension of Kuldeep Singh Sengar's Life Sentence in Supreme Court

CBI's Next Steps in the Kuldeep Singh Sengar Case

The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) is set to contest the recent decision by the Delhi High Court to suspend the life sentence of former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case. Officials disclosed this information on Wednesday.

After reviewing the orders issued by a bench of the Delhi High Court regarding the 2017 Unnao rape incident, the CBI has decided to file a petition in the Supreme Court as soon as possible, according to a spokesperson.

Although the High Court granted Sengar bail following the suspension of his life sentence, he will remain incarcerated due to a separate 10-year sentence related to the death of the rape victim's father.

Sengar had previously appealed against his life sentence, which faced strong opposition from both the CBI and the victim's family in the High Court. The CBI stated that it had submitted timely responses and written arguments in this matter. The victim's family also raised concerns about safety and threats, opposing Sengar's petition. The CBI plans to challenge this order promptly.

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court suspended Sengar's life sentence, noting that he had already served seven years and five months in prison.

The High Court has put a hold on Sengar's sentence pending the appeal against his conviction and punishment in the rape case, which he contested following a lower court's ruling in December 2019.

In 2017, Sengar was convicted for the abduction and rape of a minor girl. Following directives from the Supreme Court on August 1, 2019, the rape and related cases were transferred from a lower court in Uttar Pradesh to Delhi.