The Delhi High Court has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to respond to a plea from expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is seeking a suspension of his 10-year jail sentence on medical grounds. The sentence pertains to the custodial death of the Unnao rape victim’s father. Additionally, the court has requested a medical report from jail authorities and scheduled further hearing for January 13 of the next year.
During Tuesday’s proceedings, presided over by Justice Manoj Kumar Ohri, the court specifically limited its inquiry to the medical aspects of Sengar’s plea. This development follows a June ruling by the high court which denied Sengar’s request to suspend his sentence while his appeal against the conviction is pending.
Representing Sengar, his counsel argued that the suspension is necessary due to a deteriorating health condition, describing it as a “medical emergency.” It was also mentioned that Sengar has been incarcerated for eight years, approaching the maximum 10-year term handed to him in this specific case.
Kuldeep Singh Sengar was previously convicted for raping a minor in 2017, who is the daughter of the deceased man. In this graver matter, he was sentenced to life imprisonment. The appeal against this conviction in the main Unnao rape case is still pending before the high court.
The controversy extends to March 13, 2020, when Sengar received a 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence from a trial court for the death of the rape victim’s father, who died in custody on April 9, 2018, due to police brutality. The court had then emphasized that “no leniency” could be shown towards the defendants, citing the significant impact of their actions on the victim’s family.
Alongside Sengar, his brother Atul Singh Sengar and five others were also sentenced to 10 years for their roles in the custodial killing, which was adjudicated as culpable homicide not amounting to murder under section 304 of the Indian Penal Code.
