Unnao survivor’s father’s death: CBI opposes Jaideep Sengar’s plea for extension of interim bail

The CBI on Tuesday opposed in the Delhi High Court a plea by Jaideep Sengar, brother of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Sengar, seeking an extension of interim bail by three months in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor’s father.

Jaideep Sengar, 50, who was awarded a 10-year jail term in the case by the trial court, sought an extension as he was suffering from oral cancer.

The CBI’s counsel said it was not a fit case for extension of interim bail, and the prescription given by Jaideep Sengar in support of his plea was not genuine but fabricated.

The CBI counsel added that he should have come before the court “well within time” for any such extension.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma, however, extended the interim bail to Jaideeep Sengar till February 20 and asked the CBI to file a “detailed” verification report.

“The CBI has also not filed a verification report. Please file a detailed verification report,” the court said.

“You have to tell me whether this man is suffering to the extent that he deserves an extension. If he is not, you have to give me a clear report… Whether this is genuine or not. Whether this man is critically ill or not critically ill,” the court told the CBI counsel.

In his application, Jaideep Sengar said he was suffering from Stage IV oral cancer, a life-threatening condition, and had developed clinical signs of recurrence.

The condition, the plea said, required continuous and specialised medical care.

The plea also informed that Jaideep Sengar has spent about four years in custody.

The high court had given interim bail to Jaideep Sengar on July 3, 2024, which was further extended from time to time.

Kuldeep Sengar was convicted of raping the Unnao survivor, for which he was sentenced to imprisonment for the remainder of his life on December 20, 2019.

The girl was allegedly kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017 when she was a minor.

On March 13, 2020, Kuldeep Sengar, along with his brother Jaideep Sengar alias Atul Singh, was sentenced to 10 years’ rigorous imprisonment by the trial court, which also imposed a fine of Rs 10 lakh, in the custodial death case of the rape survivor’s father.

The girl’s father was arrested, allegedly at the behest of the accused, under the Arms Act and died in custody on April 9, 2018, owing to police brutality.

The trial court said “no leniency” could be shown for killing a family’s “sole bread earner”.

Their appeals against the trial court judgement are pending in the high court.