Unnao Rape Case: Supreme Court Stays Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s Suspension of Sentence, Survivor’s Counsel Says ‘Not a Victory, Just Time To Breathe’

New Delhi, December 29: The Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court's order suspending the life sentence of expelled Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case of a minor, on Monday. Reacting to the apex court's decision, Mehmood Pracha, advocate for the Unnao rape survivor, said the stay has given the victim a brief pause but left serious concerns unaddressed. "I can assure the victims that we have got a small relief. This should not be called victory, but we have got a little time to breathe," Pracha said.

He criticised the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) for limiting its arguments before the court and for not consulting the survivor's legal team. "CBI took a stand on a very limited point and did not raise our strongest grounds of argument. CBI did not consult us at all. There is so much evidence in favour of the victim that any court would give a verdict in her support," he said. ‘How Can We Trust CBI?’: Unnao Rape Survivor, Mother Question Agency As It Moves Supreme Court Against Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s Bail (Watch Video).

Pracha further asserted that the apex court had not examined the core merits of the case. "The court did not hear us on the main merits. CBI has just discussed the iceberg of the case; we have the entire matter with us. CBI did not make us a party in this case. We cannot treat this judgment as a victory for the victim," he added.

Expressing anguish over the survivor's situation, Pracha questioned whether the order truly amounted to relief. "I will leave it to the people of the country and the legal fraternity to gauge for themselves if this is a big respite for us. I would say no. Do you want me to be happy when the girl has been taken away by the CRPF? I don't even get a chance to speak to her about the order, so do you think I will be happy?" he said.

Supreme Court Stays Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s Bail, Suspension of Life Sentence

The Supreme Court's three-judge vacation bench, led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and comprising Justices JK Maheshwari and AG Masih, was hearing the CBI's plea challenging the Delhi High Court's December 23 order, which had suspended Sengar's life sentence pending appeal and granted him bail.

Staying the High Court's order, the apex court noted that Sengar remains in custody in another case. "We are informed that the convict is also convicted and sentenced under Section 304 (murder) of the IPC and that he is still in custody in that case. Considering such peculiar circumstances, we stay the operation of the impugned order. The respondent shall not be released," the bench observed. Was Unnao Rape Convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar Given 'Grand Welcome' After His Release From Jail? Viral Photo Is AI-Generated Image, Reveals Fact Check.

The Supreme Court also issued notice to Sengar, seeking his response to the CBI's plea within two weeks. Sengar, a former Uttar Pradesh MLA, was convicted in December 2019 in the Unnao rape case and sentenced to life imprisonment along with a fine of Rs 25 lakh. Although he was granted bail by the High Court in the rape case, he continued to remain in jail as he is serving a 10-year sentence in a separate CBI case related to murder.

(The above story is verified and authored by ANI staff, ANI is South Asia's leading multimedia news agency with over 100 bureaus in India, South Asia and across the globe. ANI brings the latest news on Politics and Current Affairs in India & around the World, Sports, Health, Fitness, Entertainment, & News. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)

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