Congress urges Supreme Court appeal after Delhi HC grants bail to Kuldeep Sengar

Strong political reactions have followed the Delhi High Court’s decision to grant conditional bail to expelled BJP leader and former Uttar Pradesh MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is serving a life sentence in the 2017 Unnao rape case.

Congress leader Udit Raj criticised the order and urged the government to challenge it before the Supreme Court, describing the crime as one of the most serious in recent years. He questioned the suspension of Sengar’s life sentence and said the Centre should seek an urgent appeal against the relief granted.

Calling the offence “exceptionally grave”, Raj said the case had shaken the conscience of the country and argued that such convictions should not be diluted. He also demanded stricter accountability, asserting that justice must reflect the severity of the crime.

Leaders from other parties responded more cautiously, stressing respect for the judicial process. Samajwadi Party Deputy Chief Whip R K Verma said the matter lay entirely within the court’s domain, adding that while sympathy remained with the survivor and her family, political parties should refrain from commenting on judicial decisions.

Uttar Pradesh Assembly Leader of the Opposition Mata Prasad Pandey echoed a similar view, stating that the order was a decision of the court and should be addressed through legal channels alone.

On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court suspended Sengar’s life sentence pending the hearing of his appeal against the conviction and ordered his release on bail. A division bench comprising Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar imposed stringent conditions while granting relief.

Sengar has been directed to furnish a personal bond of Rs 15 lakh along with three sureties of the same amount. The court has barred him from entering within a five-kilometre radius of the survivor’s residence and ordered him to remain in Delhi during the bail period.

Additional conditions include weekly reporting to a local police station, surrendering his passport, and strict instructions not to contact, threaten or influence the survivor or her family. The High Court warned that any violation of these terms would lead to immediate cancellation of bail.

Sengar was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the rape of a minor in Unnao, a case that triggered nationwide outrage and intense political scrutiny at the time.

With IANS inputs