The Supreme Court on Monday refuses to grant bail to rape convict and former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape victim’s father. It requested the Delhi High Court to afford "out-of-turn" hearing to Sengar.

A top court bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and NV Anjaria asked the Delhi HC to decide the case as early as possible, but not later than three months.

"We grant liberty to the appellant in that case (victim) to mention the same before High Court. Let Delhi High Court take up the appeal within one week and if High Court finds that the appeal can be decided along with the appeal by Sengar, then both can be heard and decided together. If that requires change in composition of the bench, the same can be done as well," the bench was quoted as saying by legal news websites.

Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave, appearing for Sengar said that he has already spent more than 9 years in jail.

"9 years and 7 months completed out of a term of 10 years. The High Court says period of incarceration not important," Dave said.

He also pointed out that some co-accused were released on bail after serving their sentences.

Sengar's advocate Dave argued that suspension of the sentence during the pendency of the appeal is normal. However, the SC pointed out that Sengar is also serving a life sentence in the other case related to the Unnao rape case.

"If you are serving life sentence in another offence, is that not a relevant consideration for suspension of sentence?" Justice Bagchi asked.

In April 2018, the family of the minor rape victim had travelled to Unnao for a court hearing when her father was brutally assaulted by the accused persons in broad daylight. The very next day, the police arrested the father on allegations of being in illegal possession of arms and he ultimately succumbed to multiple injuries suffered by him in police custody.

In August 2019, trials of five cases in the matter, including the case concerning victim's father's death, were transferred from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi, by the Supreme Court. Sengar was found to be guilty of rape in December 2019 and sentenced to life. He was also convicted for conspiring the death of the victim's father on March 4, 2020 and in June 2024, the Delhi High Court rejected his plea for suspension of sentence in the case.

This year, a division bench of the High Court recently suspended Sengar's sentence in the rape case. However, few days later, the suspension was stayed by the Supreme Court.