By PingTV News Desk

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New Delhi | December 29, 2025 In a significant legal development today, the Supreme Court of India has ordered an interim stay on the Delhi High Court’s recent decision to suspend the life sentence of former MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. The decision ensures that Sengar, convicted for the 2017 Unnao rape case, will remain behind bars as the apex court reviews a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The Supreme Court’s Intervention

A three-judge vacation bench, led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and including Justices J.K. Maheshwari and A.G. Masih, heard the CBI’s urgent challenge against the High Court’s December 23 order.

The Solicitor General, representing the CBI, described the case as “horrific,” involving the rape of a minor. The apex court noted the “peculiar circumstances” of the case—specifically that Sengar is already serving a separate 10-year sentence for the custodial death of the survivor’s father.

“The respondent (Sengar) shall not be released,” the CJI noted during the hearing. The court has issued a notice to Sengar, seeking his formal response to the CBI’s plea within two weeks.

Background: The High Court’s Controversial Ruling

Just days ago, on December 23, 2025, the Delhi High Court had suspended Sengar’s life sentence pending his appeal against the 2019 conviction. The High Court’s reasoning was largely technical, suggesting that Sengar had already served over seven years in prison and questioning the “public servant” status under certain sections of the POCSO Act.

The High Court had granted him bail on a personal bond of ₹15 lakh with strict conditions, including a ban on entering a 5-km radius of the survivor’s residence. However, this ruling sparked widespread public outrage and protests at Jantar Mantar and across the country.

Survivor’s Plea for Justice

The Unnao survivor had recently expressed deep fear for her family’s safety following the news of the bail. In a public appeal to the Supreme Court and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, she alleged that Sengar’s influence still posed a direct threat to her witnesses and children.

“I have faith that I will get justice in the Supreme Court,” the survivor stated during a recent protest.

A Timeline of the Unnao Case

• 2017: A minor girl was kidnapped and raped in Unnao; the case gained national attention after the survivor’s father died in judicial custody in 2018.

• 2019: Following the Supreme Court’s intervention, the trial was moved to Delhi. In December 2019, Kuldeep Sengar was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment.

• 2020: Sengar was separately sentenced to 10 years for his role in the custodial death of the victim’s father.

• December 23, 2025: Delhi HC suspends the life sentence.

• December 29, 2025: Supreme Court stays the High Court’s order.

What Happens Next?

With the Supreme Court’s stay in place, Kuldeep Singh Sengar will not walk free. The matter is expected to be heard again in late January 2026, after Sengar’s legal team files their response to the CBI’s challenge.

For more updates on this story and other national news, stay tuned to PingTV India.