New Delhi: In a major judicial intervention on Monday, the Supreme Court of India stayed the Delhi High Court’s order that had granted conditional bail and suspended the life sentence of Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case. The apex court’s decision came on a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI), which argued that the High Court’s ruling was legally flawed and undermined the gravity of the offence.

A three-judge vacation bench led by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, along with Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, heard the CBI’s appeal and put the bail order on hold, effectively ensuring that Sengar continues to remain in jail.

The Supreme Court also issued notice to Sengar, allowing him to respond to the challenge filed by the CBI.

The CBI had filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) before the apex court after the Delhi High Court, on December 23, suspended Sengar’s life sentence awarded by the trial court and granted him bail during the pendency of his appeal. The High Court’s order had drawn widespread criticism from activists, political figures, and the victim’s family.

Arguing before the Supreme Court, the CBI contended that the High Court erred in law by treating Sengar’s position as a former MLA as irrelevant to his prosecution under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act and related provisions. The agency maintained that Sengar’s status as a public servant when the offence was committed should have been held to attract aggravated penalties and that bail was not justified given the seriousness of the crime.

The 2017 Unnao case, involving the gang rape of a minor girl, has been one of the most-watched legal battles in India. Sengar was convicted in December 2019 of kidnapping and raping a minor and sentenced to life imprisonment by a special CBI court in Delhi, along with a fine.

While the High Court held that Sengar had served a significant portion of his sentence and granted bail, the CBI argued that such leniency was not warranted in a case of aggravated sexual assault. In response to the agency’s appeal, the Supreme Court’s stay now keeps the High Court’s bail order in abeyance pending final adjudication.

Legal observers noted that the Supreme Court’s decision essentially maintains the status quo and ensures that Sengar remains in jail, also noting he is serving another sentence related to a different CBI case.

The hearing took place amid heightened security outside the Supreme Court, with protests and demonstrations by political workers and women’s groups demanding justice for the survivor.

The Unnao rape survivor and her family have strongly opposed the High Court’s bail order, with the survivor publicly renewing calls for her safety and justice. Activists like Yogita Bhayana welcomed the Supreme Court’s intervention, viewing it as a step toward upholding accountability in the case.

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The Supreme Court has yet to set a date for the next hearing, as it takes up the CBI’s larger challenge to the Delhi High Court’s ruling.