Delhi High Court Rejects Kuldeep Singh Sengar's Plea For Suspension Of Sentence In Case Of Unnao Rape Victim Father's Death

The Delhi High Court on Monday rejected Kuldeep Singh Sengar's plea seeking suspension of his 10 years sentence in the custodial death case of Unnao rape victim's father.

In April 2018, the family of the minor rape victim had travelled to Unnao for a court hearing when her father was brutally assaulted by the accused persons in broad daylight.

The very next day, the police arrested the father on allegations of being in illegal possession of arms and he had ultimately succumbed to multiple injuries suffered by him in police custody.

In August 2019, trial of five cases in the matter, including the case concerning victim's father's death, were transferred from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi, by the Apex Court.

Sengar was found to be guilty of rape in December 2019 and sentenced to life.

He was also convicted for conspiring the death of the victim's father on March 04, 2020 and in June 2024, the Delhi High Court rejected his plea for suspension of sentence in the case. The instant plea was his second attempt for relief.

Justice Ravinder Dudeja dismissed the plea, noting Sengar's criminal antecedents and no new subsequent development in the case.

The Court said that while it is conscious about Sengar's long incarceration of about 7.5 years in the case but it also noted that his appeal could not be heard due to delay on multiple grounds, like his filing multiple applications seeking suspension of sentence, etc.

Justice Dudeja said that the appeal has to be heard on merits in an expeditious manner.

Significant to note that a division bench of the High Court recently suspended his sentence in the rape case. However, few days later, the Supreme Court stayed the order.

Case name: Kuldeep Singh Sengar v. CBI