CBI Moves Supreme Court Against Suspension of Kuldeep Sengar’s Life Sentence in Unnao Rape Case

New Delhi, Dec 2025 : The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has approached the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court’s recent order that suspended the life sentence of expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar and granted him bail in the 2017 Unnao rape case. The move comes amid widespread criticism and protests, with the victim’s family and women’s rights groups expressing serious concerns over the decision.

The CBI has filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) under Article 136 of the Constitution, contesting the December 23 order of the Delhi High Court, which allowed Sengar’s plea for suspension of sentence during the pendency of his appeal. Earlier, both the investigating agency and the survivor’s family had indicated their intention to challenge the bail order before the apex court.

During the hearing in the Delhi High Court, the CBI had strongly opposed Sengar’s application, underlining the gravity of the crime and the larger implications of granting bail in a case that had shocked the conscience of the nation. The agency argued that the offence involved the rape of a minor and that suspending the sentence could undermine public confidence in the justice system.

Despite these objections, a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court comprising Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar suspended Sengar’s life sentence and granted him conditional bail while his appeal remains pending. The court imposed strict conditions on the bail, although details of these conditions were not immediately made public.

However, legal sources pointed out that Sengar is unlikely to be released immediately, as he continues to serve a separate sentence in cases connected to the death of the rape survivor’s father. Those cases are also part of the wider set of proceedings that followed the Unnao incident.

The Unnao rape case had sparked nationwide outrage in 2017 and became a symbol of the struggle for justice in crimes against women. In December 2019, a trial court convicted Sengar of kidnapping and raping the minor survivor and sentenced him to imprisonment for the remainder of his natural life, along with imposing a fine of Rs 25 lakh. Given the sensitivity and seriousness of the matter, the Supreme Court had earlier transferred all related cases from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi and ordered that the trial be conducted on a day-to-day basis.

Meanwhile, the High Court’s decision to suspend the sentence has triggered strong reactions. On Friday, family members of the survivor, along with women’s rights activists, staged a protest outside the Delhi High Court. Holding placards and raising slogans, the demonstrators said the bail order had “shaken public faith” in the judicial process and sent a disturbing signal regarding accountability in cases of sexual violence.

With the CBI now moving the Supreme Court, the final outcome will be closely watched, as it carries significant implications for public trust, victim rights, and the handling of serious crimes against women.
Team Maverick.