The Supreme Court stayed the Delhi High Court order suspending life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case.
The Bench, comprising of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant and Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George, also said that there is ambiguity on the definition of ‘public servant’ under the POCSO. The court issued a notice.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, argued that Sengar was in a position of dominance and found guilty under POCSO and of killing the victim’s father.
On December 23, the high court suspended the jail term of Sengar, who was serving a life sentence in the 2017 Unnao rape case, saying he had already served seven years and five months in prison.
Sengar has challenged the December 2019 trial court verdict in the case. However, the former BJP MLA will remain in jail as he is also serving a 10-year term for the custodial death of the rape survivor’s father.