Kuldeep Sengar's High Court Appeal: Latest Developments in Unnao Custodial Death Case

Delhi High Court continues to hear former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar’s appeal against his ten-year sentence for the Unnao custodial death. Sengar's counsel argues inconsistencies in witness statements and procedural flaws, while the court asks both parties to submit short notes ahead of further arguments scheduled for February 3.

The Delhi High Court is currently hearing an appeal by former Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, challenging his ten-year imprisonment sentence in connection to the Unnao custodial death case. Defense counsel argued that despite the same judgment being awarded to all convicts, Sengar remains incarcerated, while others were released. The appeal seeks to address procedural errors, including unexamined witness statements that allegedly compromise the judgment's reliability.

Presided over by Justice Vikas Mahajan, the court asked Sengar's legal team and the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to submit short notes as the legal proceedings continue. Senior counsel Manish Vasisth, accompanied by advocate Kanhaiya Singhal, defended Sengar, claiming he was absent at the scene on April 3, 2018, during the occurrence of the incident in question. The defense also highlighted potential contradictions in witness statements and unverified claims made during the trial.

Sengar, convicted of the custodial death of the Unnao rape victim's father and another case of raping a minor, faces a life sentence and ten more years imprisonment. His previous plea for a sentence suspension was dismissed by the court in June 2024. The origins of these high-profile cases date back to incidents reported in 2018, where various FIRs had been filed at Police Station Makhi in Unnao, later adjudicated by Tis Hazari Court in Delhi.

(With inputs from agencies.)