The Supreme Court is scheduled to hear the Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) appeal on December 29, 2025, challenging the Delhi High Court's decision to suspend the life sentence of Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the expelled BJP leader convicted in the Unnao rape case. A three-judge vacation bench headed by Chief Justice of India Surya Kant will preside over the hearing.
The Unnao rape survivor has made serious allegations against the investigating officer (IO), claiming the IO "colluded with the judge" to ensure Sengar's victory. According to ANI, the survivor stated that the investigating officer wronged her and colluded with the judge, leading to an unfavorable outcome for the rape victim. She believes that had the CBI supported her lawyer, she would have won the case. The survivor and her mother met with CBI officials on Saturday to file a formal complaint regarding the matter.
In a six-page complaint, the survivor alleged that the investigating officer conducted a dishonest probe with mala fide intentions, deliberately manipulating facts to benefit Sengar and the other accused. She claimed the officer used forged school documents in the chargesheet, falsely attributed statements to her, and wrongly stated that she used a mobile phone belonging to someone else. The survivor stated that she had previously filed a complaint without any action being taken.
The trial court had also questioned the investigating officer's recording of her statement, suggesting he was "hand in glove" with the accused to shield them from prosecution. The CBI had contested the trial court's observations in the Delhi High Court, asserting that the IO's claims about the victim's mobile phone were merely opinions and not conclusive proof of bias. The court had remarked that the investigation appeared unfair, seemingly aimed at discrediting the survivor and her family.
Sengar was convicted in December 2019 for the 2017 rape of a minor in Unnao and sentenced to life imprisonment with a fine of ₹25 lakh. He challenged the conviction in the Delhi High Court in January 2020 and sought suspension of his sentence in March 2022. The CBI and the survivor consistently opposed any relief, citing the severity of the crime and potential threats to the complainant and witnesses. The Delhi High Court granted Sengar bail on December 23, imposing conditions such as furnishing a personal bond of ₹15 lakh with three sureties of the same amount and restricting him from entering a 5-km radius of the victim's Delhi residence or threatening her and her mother.
The CBI filed a Special Leave Petition (SLP) in the Supreme Court against the High Court's order. According to a CBI spokesperson, the decision to file the SLP was made after reviewing the Delhi High Court's orders in the 2017 Unnao rape case. Despite the suspension of his life sentence, Sengar will remain in jail as he is also serving a 10-year sentence for the custodial death of the rape survivor's father.
The survivor expressed feeling betrayed by the CBI and accused the judiciary of corruption. She stated that her family has been intimidated while Sengar's family has been given a "free pass". She alleged that the judge must have taken a large sum of money, questioning the fairness of the situation.
Protests have continued against the Delhi High Court's order, with demonstrators demanding justice for the survivor. Advocates representing the survivor have stated they will also approach the Supreme Court and lodge a First Information Report (FIR) with the CBI against officials who aided Sengar.
