The Supreme Court on Monday directed the Delhi High Court to give priority to the hearing of expelled BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s appeal challenging his conviction in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor’s father, and to decide the matter within three months.
A bench comprising Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria passed the direction while declining to entertain Sengar’s special leave petition against the Delhi High Court’s order dated January 19, which had rejected his plea for suspension of his 10-year sentence in the case.
“The appeal, if any, filed by the victim’s family shall also be heard together by the High Court,” the bench said, asking the High Court to accord an out-of-turn hearing to ensure the matter is decided expeditiously.
The Supreme Court bench also expressed concern over media comments being made about the case by the counsel appearing for the victim. “We are not sitting in an ivory tower. We know a media trial is going on outside,” said CJI Kant, warning that he “will not tolerate any parallel trial outside the court”.
Sengar’s appeal is scheduled to be taken up by the Delhi High Court on February 11.
On March 13, 2020, a Delhi trial court convicted Sengar under Section 304 of the Indian Penal Code for culpable homicide not amounting to murder in the death of the rape survivor’s father. The trial court noted that although there was no intention to kill, police brutality inflicted upon the victim—after his arrest on the behest of Sengar under the Arms Act—led to his custodial death on April 9, 2018.
The court sentenced Sengar to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment along with a fine of ₹10 lakh, observing that “no leniency” could be shown for killing a family’s “sole bread earner.”
The father of the minor survivor had been framed in a false case and subjected to custodial violence. The incident occurred after the girl had accused Sengar of kidnapping and raping her in 2017, a case for which he has separately been convicted and sentenced to imprisonment for life.
In December 2019, Sengar was sentenced to life imprisonment in the rape case. The Delhi High Court had, on December 23, 2025, suspended his sentence during the pendency of his appeal, but the Supreme Court stayed that suspension order on December 29, 2025.
Both his appeals—against the rape conviction and the custodial death conviction—are pending adjudication before the Delhi High Court.
The apex court’s direction today clears the path for an expedited hearing on one of the two key appeals, with the custodial death case now slated for final decision within three months.
