Key Points
The Delhi High Court suspended the life sentence of expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and granted him bail in the 2017 Unnao rape case during the pendency of his appeal.
The court imposed strict conditions, including a ₹15 lakh personal bond, a bar on entering within 5km of the survivor’s residence, weekly police reporting, surrender of passport, and a warning that any violation would lead to cancellation of bail.
Sengar was convicted in 2019 for raping a minor and for his role in the custodial death of the survivor’s father; his appeals against both convictions are still pending before the Delhi High Court.
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday, 23 November 2025, granted bail to ex-BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, suspending his life sentence in the 2017 Unnao rape case while his appeal against conviction remains pending. A Division Bench comprising Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar ordered his release subject to stringent conditions, warning that any violation would lead to cancellation of bail.
The court directed Sengar to furnish a personal bond of ₹15 lakh with three sureties of the same amount. He has been barred from entering within a five kilometre radius of the survivor’s residence and from threatening or contacting her or her mother. The bench further ordered Sengar to surrender his passport, remain in Delhi during the pendency of the appeal, and report to a local police station every Monday at 10 am. The suspension of sentence will operate only till the appeal is decided, and Sengar has been directed to ensure his availability to serve the remainder of the sentence if his conviction is upheld.
The High Court clarified that the suspension of the life term does not amount to an acquittal. The criminal appeal and related applications are scheduled to be listed before the roster bench on 15 January 2026, subject to the orders of the Chief Justice.
Sengar, a former BJP MLA from Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, was accused of raping a minor girl in June 2017. The case came to national attention after the survivor attempted suicide outside the residence of the Chief Minister, alleging police inaction. The incident triggered widespread outrage, particularly after the survivor’s father died in police custody under suspicious circumstances in April 2018.
In August 2019, the Supreme Court transferred the rape case and all connected matters from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi based on a petition by the survivor, citing concerns of safety and fairness of the trial. The apex court directed that the proceedings be conducted on a day-to-day basis and concluded within 45 days. The cases were thereafter tried at Tis Hazari Courts in Delhi.
In December 2019, the trial court convicted Sengar of rape and sentenced him to life imprisonment, along with imposing a fine of ₹25 lakh. He was also held guilty of orchestrating the custodial death of the survivor’s father, for which he was awarded a separate sentence of ten years’ imprisonment. Sengar has challenged both convictions, and his appeals remain pending before the Delhi High Court.
See Also: Absonding Accused, Retraumatised Survivors: A Verdict After 32 Years in Ajmer Serial Rape Case
In June 2020, a Delhi court held Sengar guilty of raping the minor, observing that the survivor’s testimony was of “sterling quality” and remained unblemished and truthful. He was convicted under Section 376 of the Indian Penal Code, read with Sections 5(c) and 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which prescribe stringent punishment for sexual assault by a public servant on a child. The court also held collusion between Sengar and Unnao police.
The trial court also made strong observations regarding the investigation, pulling up the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for delays and lapses. It noted that the probe reflected a lack of sensitivity towards the survivor and her family and criticised the failure to follow safeguards mandated under the POCSO Act. The court remarked that the case exemplified the fear faced by victims of sexual violence when the accused is a powerful political figure.
The Unnao case involved multiple strands of alleged intimidation and violence against the survivor and her family. Apart from the custodial death of her father, the survivor was injured in a car accident in July 2019 in which two of her aunts were killed. The CBI later filed charge sheets in connection with the accident and other related cases, alleging conspiracy and intimidation.
In seeking suspension of his sentence in the custodial death case, Sengar argued that he had already spent a substantial period in jail. He had earlier been granted interim bail on limited grounds, including to undergo cataract surgery at AIIMS, Delhi. The appeal remains pending.
The court’s order underscores that the relief granted to Sengar in the rape case is temporary and conditional, tied strictly to the pendency of the appeal. By imposing restrictions on Sengar’s movement, mandating weekly police reporting, and prohibiting any contact with the survivor, the bench sought to balance the appellant’s right to pursue his appeal with concerns for the survivor’s safety.
Proceedings are set to continue in January 2026.
(DS)
Suggested Reading: