The Delhi High Court has granted a two-week interim bail on medical grounds to Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the expelled BJP leader serving a life sentence for the rape of a minor in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh, in 2017. Justice Prathiba M Singh, leading the bench that also includes Justice Amit Sharma, ordered Sengar’s temporary release to allow him to undergo a comprehensive medical evaluation at AIIMS Delhi.
The decision comes amid Sengar’s ongoing legal battles, as he also serves a concurrent 10-year jail term related to the custodial death of the rape victim’s father. The court’s directive specifies that Sengar must remain in Delhi following his discharge from AIIMS and has scheduled a follow-up hearing for December 20 to review a report from the medical board.
Sengar’s plea for interim bail cited severe health issues, including a cataract, necessitating immediate medical attention. This plea faced opposition from both the victim’s lawyer and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), highlighting the case’s sensitive nature and Sengar’s contentious figure.
In addition to the life term for the rape, in March 2020, Sengar received a 10-year sentence for his involvement in the death of the rape victim’s father, who died in custody under suspicious circumstances in April 2018. The case, which has seen Sengar’s brother Atul Singh Sengar and five others also sentenced, was transferred to Delhi from Uttar Pradesh by the Supreme Court in 2019 to ensure a fair trial.
