The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted a two-week
interim bail on medical grounds to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar who
is serving life term for raping a minor in Uttar Pradesh's Unnao in 2017.
A bench headed by Justice Prathiba M Singh suspended
the sentence for the time being and directed that Sengar be admitted to
AIIMS-Delhi for his medical evaluation and must remain in the capital once
discharged.
"Considering the history of the case as also
the medical condition of the applicant, it is directed that the applicant will
be released on interim bail for two weeks and he shall seek admission in AIIMS
Delhi for a comprehensive medical evaluation," the bench, also comprising
Justice Amit Sharma, said.
The court sought a report from the
medical board of AIIMS and listed the matter for hearing on December 20.
Sengar is also serving a 10-year jail term in
connection with the custodial death of the Unnao rape victim's father. His plea
for interim bail in that case is still pending before another bench of the high
court.
Sengar sought interim bail on the grounds that he
was suffering from various ailments, like cataract, that required urgent
attention.
The plea was opposed by the victim's lawyer as well
as the CBI.
Sengar's appeal challenging the trial court's
verdict in the main Unnao rape case is pending in the high court.
He has sought quashing of the December 2019
judgement of the trial court which sentenced him to imprisonment for the
remainder of his life.
The girl was kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017
when she was a minor.
On March 13, 2020, Sengar was sentenced to 10 years'
rigorous imprisonment and was fined Rs 10 lakh, in connection with the case of
custodial death of the rape victim's father. The court had also awarded a
10-year jail term to Sengar's brother Atul Singh Sengar and five others.
The father of the rape victim was arrested at the
behest of Sengar in a case under the Arms Act. He died in custody on April 9,
2018.
The rape case and other connected cases were
transferred to Delhi from a trial court in Uttar Pradesh on the directions of
the Supreme Court on August 1, 2019.