Delhi HC Rejects Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s Plea to Suspend Sentence in Unnao Victim’s Father Custodial Death Case

The plea was dismissed by Justice Ravinder Dudeja of the Delhi High Court. The Court noted Sengar’s criminal antecedents and observed that there was no new development in the matter warranting suspension of sentence.

Facts of the Case

• In April 2018, the family of the Unnao minor rape victim had travelled to Unnao for a court hearing.

• Her father was assaulted by the accused in broad daylight and arrested the next day on allegations of illegal arms possession.

• The father later succumbed to multiple injuries in police custody.

• In August 2019, the trial of five cases, including the custodial death, was transferred from UP to Delhi by the Supreme Court.

• Sengar was convicted of rape in December 2019 and life imprisonment.

• He was also convicted for conspiring to cause the death of the victim’s father on March 4, 2020.

• In June 2024, the Delhi High Court rejected his plea for suspension of sentence, and the current plea is his second attempt for relief.

Delhi High Court’s Reasoning

• Sengar’s long incarceration of about 7.5 years was acknowledged, but his appeal could not be heard due to delays caused by multiple applications for suspension of sentence.

• The Court emphasized that his appeal must be heard on merits expeditiously.

• The Court also considered recent developments where a Division Bench had temporarily suspended his sentence in the rape case, but the Supreme Court stayed that order.

• The plea to suspend Sengar’s 10-year sentence in the custodial death case of the Unnao victim’s father was dismissed.

This decision reinforces the principle that custodial death cases and convictions for serious crimes will not be lightly interfered with, even in light of long incarceration, especially where there are pending appeals and no new developments.

Case Title: Kuldeep Singh Sengar v. CBI