The Supreme Court on December 29, 2025, Monday, stayed a Delhi High Court order that had suspended the life sentence and granted bail to former Uttar Pradesh legislator Kuldeep Sengar, convicted in the 2017 Unnao rape case, ensuring that he will remain in custody while the matter is examined further.

The apex court acted on an appeal filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation, which challenged the High Court’s decision to suspend Sengar’s sentence.

A bench of the Supreme Court observed that the case involved significant legal questions that required careful consideration, particularly issues relating to statutory interpretation.

Welcoming the Supreme Court’s intervention, the survivor said she would continue her fight until justice was fully served.

Speaking to the media, she asserted that she would not relent until the harshest punishment was awarded to the convict. Members of her family described the stay as a moment of relief after days of anxiety following the High Court’s order.

The High Court had earlier granted bail to Sengar on humanitarian grounds while suspending his sentence, a move that drew sharp reactions from the survivor and civil society groups.

The CBI subsequently approached the Supreme Court, arguing that the order could have serious implications and needed immediate judicial scrutiny.

Sengar, once a powerful political figure in Uttar Pradesh, was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2019 in a case that triggered nationwide outrage.

The case became emblematic of alleged political influence, intimidation, and systemic failures faced by victims seeking justice against influential accused persons.

The Supreme Court’s stay will remain in force until further hearings are completed. The court is expected to take up detailed arguments on whether the suspension of sentence and grant of bail were legally sustainable.

The Unnao case has remained under public and judicial scrutiny for several years, not only because of the crime itself but also due to subsequent events that highlighted concerns over victim protection and accountability.

The latest development has once again brought the spotlight back on the long legal battle and the survivor’s determination to see it through to its conclusion.

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