Unnao rape case: Delhi HC asks CBI to verify facts of Kuldeep Sengar's bail plea

The Delhi High Court on Thursday issued notice and directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to verify the facts of former UP BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar's bail plea and place a status report on record by January 16.

Sengar is sentenced to life term imprisonment for raping a minor girl in the state's Unnao in 2017.

A division bench of Justices Mukta Gupta and Poonam A. Bamba directed the CBI.

On December 19, Sengar had sought two months' interim bail from the court for attending his daughter's wedding, which is scheduled on February 8, 2023, and ceremonies will start on January 18.

A division bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Talwant Singh had directed to list the matter before any other bench, not comprising Justice Singh.

"List this application before a bench in which one of us, namely, Justice Talwant Singh, is not a member, subject to obtaining directions of the Chief Justice," it had ordered.

Sengar's plea against the trial court's order in the rape case is pending in the high court, with him having sought reliefs like quashing of the trial court's December 16, 2019 judgment, which convicted him, and the December 20, 2019 order sentencing him to imprisonment till rest of his life.

The trial court had convicted Sengar under various provisions, including Section 376 (2) (rape committed by a public servant) of IPC and also imposed an exemplary fine of Rs 25 lakh on him.

The trial started on August 5, 2019, after the Supreme court on August 1 directed to transfer all five cases related to the matter from Unnao to Delhi.

The top court had directed to hold trial on a daily basis and complete it within 45 days.