The Delhi High Court on Monday declined to suspend the 10-year sentence imposed on expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in connection with the custodial death of the Unnao rape survivor’s father.
“No grounds are made out for grant relief. The application seeking suspension of sentence is dismissed,” Justice Ravinder Dudeja said while rejecting Sengar’s plea.
The court noted that although Sengar had undergone a prolonged period of incarceration, he could not be granted relief on the ground of delay, observing that part of the delay was attributable to multiple applications filed by him in his appeal challenging the conviction.
“Purpose would be served if the appeal is heard expeditiously,” the judge added, listing the matter for hearing on February 3.
On March 13, 2020, a trial court sentenced Sengar to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment and imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh in the case related to the death of the survivor’s father while in custody.
The trial court had observed that “no leniency” could be shown for killing a family’s “sole bread earner”.
It had also sentenced Sengar’s brother, Atul Singh Sengar, along with five others, to 10 years in jail for their role in the custodial killing.
The survivor’s father was arrested under the Arms Act at the behest of Sengar and died in custody on April 9, 2018, allegedly due to police brutalities. Sengar had kidnapped the minor and raped her in 2017.
While the trial court did not convict the accused of murder under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the father’s case, it awarded the maximum punishment for culpable homicide not amounting to murder under Section 304 of the IPC, holding that there was no intention to kill.
Sengar’s appeals in both the rape case—arising from the December 2019 judgement convicting him and sentencing him to imprisonment for the remainder of his life—and the custodial death case are pending before the high court.
The high court had suspended his sentence in the rape case on December 23, 2025, pending disposal of his appeal. However, the Supreme Court stayed the suspension on December 29, 2025.