The on Monday put an immediate stay on the order that had suspended the life sentence of expelled BJP leader in the 2017 Unnao rape case. A vacation bench headed by Justice Surya Kant, along with Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, issued notice to Sengar while hearing a plea filed by the (CBI) challenging the high court’s decision. The bench made it clear that Sengar would not be released from custody despite the suspension order passed earlier by the high court.

Appearing on behalf of the CBI, Solicitor General strongly urged the apex court to intervene, arguing that serious questions of law were involved in granting suspension of sentence in a case of such gravity. Agreeing that the matter required detailed consideration, the Supreme Court stayed the operation of the high court’s December 23 order and scheduled the case for further hearing after four weeks. The bench observed that substantial legal issues arise in the appeal and that the interim relief granted to Sengar could not be allowed to take effect without thorough judicial scrutiny.

While the Delhi High Court had suspended Sengar’s life sentence on the ground that he had already served more than seven years in prison and that his appeal against conviction was pending, the Supreme Court’s intervention ensures that he remains behind bars for now. Notably, Sengar is also serving a separate 10-year sentence in connection with the custodial death of the rape survivor’s father, in which he has not been granted bail. The Unnao rape case, along with related matters, had earlier been transferred from to Delhi on the directions of the Supreme Court in 2019, underlining the sensitive nature of the case and the court’s continued oversight to ensure justice is neither delayed nor diluted.