The Delhi High Court has directed the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), New Delhi, to constitute a medical board to examine Jaideep Sengar, who has sought suspension of his 10-year sentence on medical grounds in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor’s father.
A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Ravinder Dudeja held that an independent medical assessment was necessary to determine the applicant’s current health condition. The court passed the direction on February 24 while hearing Sengar’s plea claiming that he is suffering from Stage-IV oral cancer with suspected recurrence.
The court observed that in matters concerning suspension of sentence on medical grounds, it must rely on “reliable and objective medical opinion and documents.” Noting the dispute over the authenticity of the medical records produced by the convict, the bench ordered:
“In matters concerning suspension of sentence on medical grounds, the court must be guided by reliable and objective medical opinion and documents. In the present case, this court is of the view that an independent medical assessment by a duly constituted medical board is necessary to ascertain the current health condition of the applicant. Accordingly, it is directed that the Director, AIIMS, New Delhi, shall constitute a medical board to examine the current medical condition of the applicant.”
The Central Bureau of Investigation opposed the plea, contending that the medical documents relied upon by Sengar were fabricated.
Listing the matter for hearing on March 2, the High Court directed the AIIMS board to conduct a comprehensive evaluation and report:
- whether Sengar is suffering from cancer or any other life-threatening disease,
- the stage of such disease, if any, and
- whether adequate treatment can be provided in jail or through escorted visits to government hospitals.
Counsel for the deceased’s daughter also opposed any interim suspension of sentence, expressing apprehension that Sengar would misuse the liberty if released.
The High Court noted that Sengar had earlier been granted interim bail on July 3, 2024, for two months on medical grounds. The interim relief was last extended in April 2025. On February 19, 2026, the court directed him to surrender before jail authorities.
Jaideep Sengar is the brother of former BJP leader Kuldeep Sengar, who was convicted in 2019 for kidnapping and raping the Unnao survivor when she was a minor and sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life.
In the custodial death case of the survivor’s father, a trial court on March 13, 2020, sentenced both Kuldeep Sengar and Jaideep Sengar to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of ₹10 lakh. The victim’s father had been arrested under the Arms Act and died in police custody on April 9, 2018, with the trial court holding that no leniency could be shown for “killing a family’s sole breadwinner.”
Appeals filed by the convicts against the trial court judgment are pending before the Delhi High Court.
