The Supreme Court overturns a Delhi High Court order that had suspended the life sentence of former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the Unnao rape case. Multiple outlets report that the apex court sets aside the suspension and directs the High Court to reconsider the matter within a specified timeframe. The Supreme Court orders a fresh decision and says it should be made without being influenced by the earlier order.
According to The Hindu, the Supreme Court also requires the Delhi High Court to hear all parties involved in the question of suspension of sentence, including the counsel for the survivor. Times of India and News18 describe the Supreme Court’s direction as a re-examination by the High Court, with a deadline of two months, after which the High Court is expected to issue a new ruling on whether the sentence should remain suspended.
The reported development means Sengar’s life sentence suspension does not stand, and the High Court’s reconsideration process will determine the status of the sentence going forward in line with the Supreme Court’s instructions.
