This is an archive article published on December 5, 2024
Unnao rape case: Delhi HC grants 2 weeks interim bail to former BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar on medical grounds
A medical report submitted before the Delhi High Court said that former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar was suffering from Type 2 diabetes mellitus and bronchial asthma and had orthopaedic and dental issues.
The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted two weeks interim bail to 2017 Unnao rape case convict and former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar on medical grounds.
While granting relief, the bench of Justices Prathiba Singh and Amit Sharma took into consideration the various medical issues Sengar is facing as submitted in a medical report by the jail authorities. As per the report, Sengar is suffering from Type 2 diabetes mellitus and bronchial asthma and has orthopaedic and dental issues.
Sengar, represented by senior advocate N Hariharan, had submitted that he has to get an MRI at G B Pant Hospital, undergo cataract surgery and a haemorrhoidectomy. Hariharan further submitted that Sengar wants to get his retinal detachment treated at Sankara Nethralaya in Chennai.
Noting that the “court cannot ignore all these medical conditions which the appellant is suffering from”, the bench directed that Sengar be released on interim bail for two weeks and seek admission at AIIMS, New Delhi on Friday.
Directing that the AIIMS medical superintendent enable his admission, the bench directed that a medical board should examine Sengar. It further directed the hospital to submit a report on the future course of action and also to opine if all his further treatments can be administered at the hospital itself.
The court also stipulated that Sengar be admitted to AIIMS for three to four days and be released following the advice of the doctors treating him. If released, the court directed that he remain in an identified location and not contact the Unnao rape survivor, who is currently in Delhi, or her family members.
Apart from furnishing Rs 50,000 as a personal bond and a surety of the same amount, the court also imposed the condition that Sengar should remain in touch with the concerned investigating officer and a local Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) official and not leave Delhi.
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The court’s relief came even as the survivor-victim, represented by advocate Mehmood Pracha, and the CBI opposed Sengar’s plea.
The court has posted the matter for further hearing on December 20.
Sengar was convicted and sentenced to life for raping a minor girl in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao in 2017. His appeal challenging the trial court’s verdict is pending in the high court. He has also been convicted and sentenced to 10 years in jail for his involvement in the death of the father of the Unnao rape victim. Sengar is seeking suspension of his sentence on grounds of his health condition.
Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court
Professional Profile
Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express.
Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare).
Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others.
She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020.
With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram
Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles:
High-Profile Case Coverage
She has extensively covered the various legal battles - including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission - pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy.
Signature Style
Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system.
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