SC refuses to entertain Sengar's plea in case of death of Unnao rape survivor's father
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Delhi High Court to accord an out-of-turn hearing to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar's plea challenging his conviction in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor's father, and said it be decided within three months.
While refusing to entertain Sengar's plea challenging a January 19 order of the high court that had refused to suspend his 10-year jail term in the case, the apex court said if the victim's family has filed any appeal against the trial court order, that should also be heard by the high court along with the expelled BJP leader's petition.
A bench of Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria issued the order while hearing Sengar's plea challenging the high court's order.
During the hearing, the CJI expressed disapproval over the victim's counsel giving statements in the media about the case. "We are not sitting in an ivory tower. We know a media trial is going on outside," Justice Kant said, adding he would not tolerate any "parallel trial" outside the court.
The bench was informed that Sengar's appeal is slated to come up for hearing before the high court on February 11.
During the hearing, Sengar's counsel, senior advocate Siddharth Dave, said the expelled BJP leader has already served seven years and seven months of the actual sentence in the case.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, said Sengar's appeal was pending before the high court and it was slated to come up for hearing on February 11. He said the high court can be requested to take up the matter and decide the appeal on its merits.
The bench observed that Sengar was serving a life sentence in the rape case. "This is one country which is proud of its rule of law. Even the most dreaded convict has got a fair trial," it said.
Mehta referred to the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and said terrorist Ajmal Kasab was given a fair trial, and judicial proceedings went right up to the Supreme Court in that case.
Sengar was sentenced to 10 years of rigorous imprisonment by a trial court on March 13, 2020, and fined Rs 10 lakh in the case. The trial court had said "no leniency" could be shown for killing a family's "sole bread earner".
The rape survivor's father 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 did not hold the accused guilty of murder under the Indian Penal Code (IPC) in the father's death case. It, however, awarded the maximum sentence for the offence of culpable homicide not amounting to murder 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 sentencing him to imprisonment for the remainder of his life, as well as in the case involving the death of the survivor's father, 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 apex court stayed the suspension on December 29.
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Women''s Bill: Stalin says proposal amid polls raises suspicion; backs 33 per cent reservation
Chennai (PTI): Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday alleged that the proposed amendment to ensure 33 per cent reservation for women in the midst of polls in states including Tamil Nadu appeared to be yet another political manoeuvre aimed at shaping electoral narratives.
Stalin alleged the timing for the proposed amendment led to serious suspicion.
"Why push such a far-reaching decision in the middle of state elections. This appears to be yet another political manoeuvre aimed at shaping electoral narratives, much like earlier attempts to influence women voters ahead of the 2024 Parliament elections," he alleged in a statement titled "This is not reform, this is reengineering power."
Further, he said: "Let me be unequivocal: we strongly support 33 per cent reservation for women. Our support is absolute. But it must be implemented without increasing seats and without punishing states that acted responsibly. If the intent is genuine, nothing prevents immediate implementation within the existing framework."
Demanding fair delimitation, he alleged there was complete opacity on the basis for delimitation and asked would the exercise rely on 1971 figures from a pre–population control era or the 2021 Census. "Conflicting signals and vague assurances only deepen suspicion." This move would also impose a massive financial burden on states, forcing them to expand or rebuild Legislative Assemblies, all without proper consultation.
"This is a direct assault on cooperative federalism. This is not reform, it is a unilateral, politically driven exercise designed to concentrate power, weaken Parliament, marginalise the South, and undermine social justice," he alleged. "The nation deserves answers: why this undue haste, why shift the goalposts, and who truly stands to benefit."
The NDA government under Prime Minister Narendra Modi is systematically eroding the very foundations of Parliament, he alleged.
The Dravidian party chief claimed: "What should be a vibrant forum for debate and accountability is being reduced to a hollow ritual, a stage where members may not even get fair time to speak or represent their people. This proposal to increase seats is a direct contradiction of their own slogan of minimum government, maximum governance. It will only inflate expenditure, burden taxpayers, and dilute the quality of parliamentary functioning."
This also went against the spirit of Article 1 of the Constitution, which defines India as a Union of States. Ignoring the voices of states and bypassing meaningful consultation is not democratic - it is unitary overreach that undermines the country's federal and plural character.
More alarmingly, this exercise will blatantly skew representation and tilt the balance of power in favour of northern states dominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party, while silencing the voice of south India, he claimed.
"As forcefully pointed out by veteran leader Siddaramaiah (Karnataka CM), this is not a neutral exercise; it is a calculated political restructuring. Northern states stand to gain nearly double the (Parliamentary) seats, while the South’s share stagnates at around 24 per cent. This is nothing short of penalising states like Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Keralam and Telangana for their success in population control."
Chief Ministers across the South, including Siddaramaiah, Pinarayi Vijayan and A Revanth Reddy have rightly warned that this move will distort federalism and concentrate power in a few regions, the DMK president alleged.
PM Modi said on Thursday that the proposed amendments to the Women Reservation Act are not just a legislative exercise but a reflection of the aspirations of crores of women across India and urged all MPs to come together to support this significant move.
He had last week announced an extension of the Budget session of Parliament by three days, from April 16 to 18, so that the Women's Reservation Act can be amended for its implementation from 2029.
