The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to extend the interim bail previously granted to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is implicated in the infamous Unnao rape case. The court’s refusal effectively requires Sengar to surrender by January 20, as per the directive of a division bench presiding over the main rape case.
Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur, during the hearing, pointed out procedural lapses in Sengar’s appeal for bail extension, particularly noting that the survivor had not been adequately informed of the application. “Take him into custody. This application has not been served,” stated the bench, reflecting on the oversight.
In a related hearing concerning the custodial death of the survivor’s father, Justice Vikas Mahajan aligned with the division bench’s stance, indicating that extending the interim bail would be redundant. He advised Sengar to surrender, emphasizing the coherence in judicial decisions across related cases.
Despite the expiry of his interim bail, Sengar’s senior counsel assured the court of his intent to surrender by the evening of the hearing. “Today, he is surrendering at 5:30 pm,” the counsel confirmed.
The arguments extended to the suspension of Sengar’s 10-year jail sentence in the custodial death case. His lawyer contended that Sengar, who has served a substantial portion of his sentence already, faces a “travesty of justice” if denied bail, especially as he approaches the completion of his term with only one year and ten months remaining.
Sengar was originally granted a two-week interim bail in early December last year due to health issues, which was later extended by another month. His legal battles continue as he challenges the December 2019 trial court’s verdict in the rape case through an appeal in the high court. This appeal includes a plea for quashing the trial court’s judgment.
The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), representing the prosecution, argued against the bail extension, highlighting the court’s previous decision on December 20, which explicitly stated no further extensions would be granted.
Amidst these legal proceedings, Sengar also faces health concerns, with a scheduled eye surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) on January 24, which formed part of his plea for bail extension.
