New Delhi: The Delhi High Court has dismissed a petition filed by expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar seeking to quash the 10-year prison sentence awarded to him in the custodial death case of the father of the Unnao rape victim. The court described the plea as lacking merit and declined to grant any relief.
Justice Ravinder observed that there were no valid grounds to interfere with the sentence imposed on Sengar and posted the matter for further hearing on February 3. The ruling comes as a significant setback for the former BJP MLA, who is already serving a life sentence after being convicted in the Unnao rape case.
Recently, the Delhi High Court had ordered a suspension of Sengar’s sentence and granted him conditional bail. However, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and counsel representing the victim challenged the order in the Supreme Court. Acting on the petitions, the apex court stayed the suspension of the sentence and directed authorities not to release Sengar from custody.
The case dates back to 2017, when Kuldeep Singh Sengar abducted and raped a minor girl from Unnao district in Uttar Pradesh. In 2018, the victim’s father died while in police custody, triggering widespread outrage. On August 1, 2019, the Supreme Court ordered the transfer of the rape case and related matters from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi to ensure a fair trial.
Sengar was subsequently sentenced to life imprisonment in the rape case and awarded a 10-year jail term in the custodial death case. Following the rape allegations, the Bharatiya Janata Party expelled him from the party.