Unnao rape: Delhi HC refuses to extend Kuldeep Singh Sengar's interim bail
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI): The Delhi High Court on Monday refused to further extend the interim bail granted to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar on medical grounds in the Unnao rape cases.
The politician, who was directed to surrender on January 20, failed to secure the relief from a division bench in the main rape case, after it was noted that his application seeking extension was not supplied to the survivor.
"Take him into custody. This application has not been served," said a bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur.
The counsel for the rape survivor alleged that he was only given an application seeking an "early hearing".
Subsequently, in the case pertaining to the custodial death of the survivor's father, Justice Vikas Mahajan observed that in view of the stand taken by the division bench, extending the interim relief in this case would serve no purpose.
"If the division bench has refused, it would not serve any purpose. You surrender," the judge said.
The senior counsel appearing for Sengar told Justice Mahajan that he would surrender before the authorities in the evening.
"Today, he is surrendering at 5:30 (pm)," he said.
The senior lawyer, however, argued on the issue of suspension of the 10-year jail sentence in the custodial death case, saying Sengar has already undergone a substantial period in prison during the pendency of his appeal against the conviction.
"Only one year and 10 months remain," he said, adding that denying the relief in the case would be a "travesty of justice".
Sengar, who is serving a life term in the main rape case, was granted a two-week interim bail in early December last year on account of his health. The relief was subsequently extended by another month.
On January 17, while recusing itself from hearing the plea for extending the interim bail period, another high court bench had refused to grant the politician any relief and directed him to surrender.
The Central Bureau of Investigation's (CBI) counsel had opposed the grant of further extension and said while extending the interim bail by a month on December 20, the high court had clarified that no further extension shall be granted to Sengar and asked him to surrender before the jail superintendent on January 20.
Sengar's counsel sought a further extension on the ground that the politician was scheduled to undergo an eye surgery at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here on January 24.
Sengar's plea for extending the interim bail period formed part of his appeal against the December 2019 trial court verdict in the rape case, which is pending before the high court. He has sought quashing of the trial court verdict.
To secure his release, he had also sought an extension of the interim bail by filing a plea in the appeal against his conviction in the case of custodial death of the survivor's father.
The minor was allegedly kidnapped and raped by Sengar in 2017.
The rape case and other connected cases were transferred to Delhi from a trial court in Uttar Pradesh on the Supreme Court's directions on August 1, 2019.
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Virat Kohli set to play Ranji Trophy after 12 years
New Delhi, Jan 20 (PTI): Indian superstar Virat Kohli is set to play his first Ranji Trophy game since 2012 after making himself available for Delhi's tie against Railways scheduled here from January 30.
Kohli could not make it for Delhi's upcoming away clash against Saurashtra, beginning on January 23, due to a neck sprain but he has communicated to DDCA that he is available for the team's last league match of the Ranji Trophy.
"Virat has conveyed to DDCA president (Rohan Jaitley) and team management that he is available for the game against Railways," Delhi head coach Sarandeep Singh told PTI.
The BCCI has made playing domestic cricket mandatory for its contracted cricketers unless there is a fitness issue following the series loss in Australia earlier this month.
