No relief for Kuldeep Sengar: Delhi HC refuses to suspend 10-year jail term in death case of Unnao rape victim's father

Delhi High Court on Monday, January 19, dismissed Kuldeep Sengar's plea and refused to suspend his 10 years of sentence of Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the custodial death case of Unnao rape victim's father.

Hearing Kuldeep Singh Sengar's plea, Justice Ravinder Dudeja said, “No grounds are made out for grant relief. The application seeking suspension of sentence is dismissed.”

Dismissing his plea, noting Kuldeep Sengar's “criminal antecedents and no new subsequent development” in the case as LiveLaw reported, the court also noted the former BJP MLA's long incarceration. The court said the hearing of his appeal was delayed for several reasons, including Sengar’s repeated applications for suspension of sentence

“Purpose would be served if the appeal is heard expeditiously,” added the court while listing the matter for hearing on February 3.

Kuldeep Singh Sengar was sentenced to 10 years rigorous imprisonment on March 13, 2020 by a trial court, besides imposition of a fine of ₹10 lakh, in the case of the death of the survivor's father in custody.

The trial court had said that “no leniency” could be shown for killing a family's “sole bread earner”. Also Read | Kuldeep Sengar stays in jail as Supreme Court puts on hold Delhi HC order granting ex-BJP MLA bail in Unnao rape case

His brother Atul Singh Sengar was also given 10 years in prison. Five others, who were involved in the custodial death of Ummar rape survivor's father, were also received punishment.

The father of the survivor was arrested at the behest of Sengar under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018, owing to police brutalities.

Sengar had kidnapped the minor and raped her in 2017.

The trial court, which did not hold the accused guilty of murder under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the father's case, awarded the maximum sentence for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder to convicts under Section 304 of the IPC after holding that there was no intention to kill.

Sengar's appeals in the main rape case against the December 2019 judgement convicting him and sentencing him to imprisonment for the remainder of his life, as well as the father's case, are pending in the high court.

His sentence was suspended by the high court on December 23, 2025, till the pendency of his appeal challenging his conviction and sentence in the rape case.

The suspension was stayed by the Supreme Court on December 29, 2025.

(With agency inputs)