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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Pune, Feb 10 (PTI): Amidst high drama, former Maharashtra minister Tanaji Sawant’s son Rishiraj was brought back to Pune along with two friends on late Monday evening, cutting short their trip to Bangkok, hours after police filed a kidnapping case, officials said.

According to Ranjan Kumar Sharma, joint commissioner of police, Rishiraj Sawant (32) and his two friends had booked a chartered plane for Bangkok without informing his family, but an anonymous phone call spoilt their travel plans.

After police registered a kidnapping case following the anonymous call made to the control room, his whereabouts were traced and he was brought back to Pune along with his friends, he said at a hurriedly convened press conference.

"Our police control room received a call around 4 pm in which an anonymous caller informed us that Rishiraj was taken away by some unidentified people. Accordingly, we swung into action and registered a kidnapping offence.

"During the probe, it was revealed Rishiraj along with his two friends had booked a chartered plane for Bangkok. We tracked the flight and contacted the airline for the aircraft's return. The flight has now returned to Pune with three passengers, including Rishiraj," informed Sharma.

"We will enquire and find out the purpose of his trip to Bangkok and why he did not inform the family about his travel plans," the police officer said.

While replying to a question, Tanaji Sawant, who was present at the police briefing, denied any dispute with his son.

According to police sources, the flight to the Thailand capital was booked for Rs 78 lakh.

The former minister said he contacted police after coming to know his son had left for the airport with friends without informing the family.

A week ago, Rishiraj Sawant had gone to Dubai, but this trip was known to family members, said the senior politician.

Asked about the police machinery going into an overdrive to trace his son and bring him back, the former minister maintained was worried as a father.

Joint commissioner of police Sharma said the anonymous call indicated Rishiraj Sawant was taken away by unidentified people and on that basis, an FIR of kidnapping was registered.

The IPS officer opined that in such cases, things do not proceed unless an FIR is registered and that is why police moved quickly and filed an offence.