The Supreme Court of India is set to hear on December 29 a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the order of the Allahabad High Court that suspended the life sentence of former Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case.
The matter will come up before a Supreme Court bench after the CBI approached the apex court seeking urgent intervention, arguing that the High Court’s decision to suspend the sentence raises serious concerns given the gravity of the crime and the circumstances surrounding the case.
Sengar was convicted by a Delhi court in 2019 for the rape of a minor girl in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, and was awarded life imprisonment. The case had drawn nationwide attention due to allegations of political influence, threats to the victim’s family, and multiple related criminal proceedings that followed.
Recently, the Allahabad High Court suspended Sengar’s life sentence while hearing his appeal, a move that prompted strong reactions and led the CBI to seek the Supreme Court’s intervention. The investigating agency has contended that suspending the sentence undermines the seriousness of the offence and could have wider implications for the administration of justice.
The Supreme Court is expected to examine whether the High Court was justified in suspending the sentence at the appellate stage and whether interim relief should continue. The outcome of the December 29 hearing is likely to be closely watched, given the sensitivity of the case and its broader impact on public confidence in the judicial process.
Further directions from the apex court are anticipated after hearing arguments from both sides.
