SC : Today, the will consider the CBI’s appeal against Sengar’s sentence suspension in the Unnao rape case

SC: The Central Bureau of Investigation’s (CBI) appeal against the Delhi High Court’s ruling that granted bail and suspended the life sentence of ousted Bharatiya Janata Party leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case will be heard by a three-judge Supreme Court bench on Monday.

A vacation bench consisting of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, Justices J.K. Maheshwari, and Augustine George Masih will hear the case on Monday, according to the caselist posted on the Supreme Court’s website.

The Delhi High Court’s December 23 ruling granting Sengar’s request for a sentence stay while his appeal is pending has been challenged by the CBI in the Supreme Court.

It was already known that the victim’s family and the CBI had declared their intention to appeal the Delhi High Court’s ruling to the Supreme Court.

Women’s rights advocates and the survivor’s family have protested against Sengar’s sentence suspension, claiming that the bail ruling has “shaken public faith” and given the incorrect message about crimes against women.

The CBI vehemently opposed Sengar’s motion before the Delhi High Court, emphasizing the seriousness of the crime and the possible dangers.

A division bench consisting of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar issued an order suspending Sengar’s life sentence and granting him conditional release, subject to stringent requirements, while his appeal was pending.

Outrage throughout the country was sparked by the Unnao rape case. Sengar was found guilty by the trial court in December 2019 of abducting and raping a little girl. He was also fined Rs 25 lakh and given a life term in jail.

The Supreme Court had already ordered that the trial be held on a daily basis and moved all matters pertaining to the event from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi.