The Supreme Court today stayed the Delhi High Court’s order that had suspended the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case, ensuring he remains in jail.
A vacation bench led by Justice Surya Kant, Justices JK Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih issued notice to Mr Sengar seeking his response on the CBI’s plea challenging the high court order. 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 as it required consideration. It said, Mr Sengar shall not be released from custody following the High Court’s 23rd December order. Substantial questions of law arise for consideration in the matter, the bench said and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.
Earlier, the High Court had suspended the jail term of Mr Sengar, who was serving life imprisonment in the Unao rape case, saying he had already served seven years and five months in prison. However, Mr Sengar will continue to remain incarcerated as he is also serving a 10-year sentence in the custodial death case of the victim’s father.
