Supreme Court Quashes Delhi HC Relief to Kuldeep Sengar, Restores Life Sentence in Unnao Rape Case

Udaipur, May 15, 2026: The Supreme Court of India today quashed the Delhi High Court order of December 2025, which suspended the life term of the Unnao accused BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar.

The two judge bench of CJI Justice Surya Kant and Justice Joymala Bagchi in their order said, "We do not endorse the hyper-technical conclusion of the High Court that an MLA is not a public servant under POCSO". Whilst abstaining from presenting any opinon on the merits of the case, the SC directed the High Court to decide on the main appeal within two months.

What Was the High Court Order

In December 2025 Sengar had the rape case suspended by another bench of the High Court and was granted bail pending an appeal against the trial court's verdict. The family of victim was dismayed and made public appeals against the decision. The bench of the HC had reasoned that his status of MLA at the time, did not justify the trial court considering him a public servant. They also said that offences under POCSO could not be applied in this matter. On appeal the Supreme Court had stayed the 

The order of the High Court was widely condemned and scenes of the victims family being intimidated by security personnel when they were protesting, added to the public anger. This led the CBI to file a fresh appeal with the Supreme Court.

Original Conviction

Sengar was convicted in 2019 by a special CBI Court for raping a minor girl in the Unnao district of Uttar Pradesh and was sentenced to life imprisonment. Sengar is also serving a 10 yr sentence related to culpable homicide of the rape survivor's father.

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