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The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has filed a special leave petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court against the Delhi High Court order suspending the sentence and granting bail to former BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case. The SLP was filed on 26 December.
Sengar was convicted in December 2019 and sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine of ₹25 lakh. He had challenged the conviction before the Delhi High Court in January 2020 and later sought suspension of the sentence till March 2022, which was strongly opposed by the CBI and the survivor through her lawyer.
On 23 December, the Delhi High Court suspended Sengar’s sentence pending disposal of the appeal and granted him bail subject to certain conditions. However, Sengar is still in jail as he is also serving a 10-year sentence in another CBI case related to the murder.
Earlier this week, CBI said it has examined the High Court decision And decided to challenge the order in the Supreme Court citing security concerns and alleged threats to the victim and her family.
Read also, “Unnao rape case: Court records show CBI lapses caused ‘harm’ to the victim,” the report said.
Meanwhile, media reports including News18 have pointed to investigative and legal shortcomings, citing records of the Delhi High Court stating that the court has rejected the CBI’s plea to apply a broad interpretation of the statutory provisions under POCSO.
The judgment also recorded that in 2019, the CBI did not support the request of the victim’s family to invoke stricter provisions applicable to public servants accused of rape.