Unnao rape case: SC stays Delhi HC order suspending Sengar's life sentence
New Delhi (PTI): The Supreme Court on Monday stayed the Delhi High Court's order suspending the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the 2017 Unnao rape case.
A vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant, and Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih also issued notice to Sengar seeking his response on the CBI's plea challenging the high court order.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the CBI, urged the bench to stay the high court order.
ALSO READ: Youth Congress protests suspension of Kuldeep Sengar's life term in Unnao rape case; slams BJP
The bench said it would examine the matter as it required consideration. It said Sengar shall not be released from custody following the high court's December 23 order.
Substantial questions of law arise for consideration in the matter, the bench said and posted the matter for hearing after four weeks.
The high court suspended the jail term of Sengar, who was serving life imprisonment in the Unnao rape case, saying he had already served seven years and five months in prison.
Sengar's sentence was suspended by the high court till the pendency of his appeal challenging his conviction and sentence in the rape case. He has challenged a December 2019 trial court verdict in the case.
The expelled BJP leader will, however, remain in jail since he is also serving 10 years' imprisonment in the custodial death case of the victim's father and has not been granted bail in that case.
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.
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New Zealand beat India by 50 runs in fourth T20I
Visakhapatnam (PTI): New Zealand defeated India by 50 runs in the fourth T20 International here on Wednesday.
Asked to bat first, New Zealand scored 215 for seven after the visitors got a flying start with Tim Seifert (62 off 36 balls) and Devon Conway (44 off 23) adding 100 runs in just 8.2 overs.
However, the Indian bowlers pulled things back somewhat in the back 10 with Arshdeep Singh and Kuldeep Yadav picking up two wickets each before Daryl Mitchell provided the late impetus with an 18-ball 39.
In reply, India were all out for 165 in 18.4 overs despite Shivam Dube's brutal 23-ball 65 and Rinku Singh's 30-ball 39.
Skipper Mitchell Santner picked up 3/26 in four overs to emerge as the best bowler for New Zealand.
Brief scores:
New Zealand: 215/7 in 20 overs (Tim Seifert 62, Devon Conway 44, Daryl Mitchell not out 39; Arshdeep Singh 2/33, Kuldeep Yadav 2/29).
India: 165 all out in 18.4 overs (Shivam Dube 65, Rinku Singh 39; Mitchell Santner 3/26).
