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This is an archive article published on January 21, 2025

Unnao rape case: Delhi HC asks ex-MLA Kuldeep Sengar, out on bail for over a month, to surrender

The expelled BJP leader, also serving a 10-year sentence over the custodial death of the rape survivor’s father, has been out on interim bail since December 5, was seeking its extension on health grounds.

Unnao rape case: HC asks ex-MLA Sengar, out on bail for over a month, to surrenderFormer MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar

The Delhi High Court Monday refused to extend the temporary suspension of former MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s life term for the 2017 rape of a minor in Unnao, telling him to surrender.

The expelled BJP leader, also serving a 10-year sentence over the custodial death of the rape survivor’s father, has been out on interim bail since December 5, was seeking its extension on health grounds.

Sengar’s counsel, Senior Advocate N Hariharan, told a division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur that Sengar has a January 24 appointment for a cataract surgery at AIIMS Delhi. Citing AIIMS’ busy schedule, the counsel submitted that Sengar has been in custody for eight years.

The survivor’s lawyer, Mehmood Pracha, made a preliminary objection, saying he has not been provided a copy of the main application by Sengar where he seeks an extension of the interim suspension.

Directing Sengar’s side to supply the same to the survivor on Monday itself, the court posted the matter for January 22.

Sengar had moved a similar application before a single-judge bench of Justice Vikas Mahajan, seeking interim bail in the custodial death case registered by the CBI. He was found guilty of culpable homicide not amounting to murder in this case on March 13, 2020.

Justice Mahajan, too, did not consider the interim suspension of the sentence in light of the view taken by the division bench.

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. X (Twitter): @thanda_ghosh ... Read More

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