New Delhi: Expressing relief over the Supreme Court’s intervention, the survivor of the 2017 Unnao rape case on Monday vowed she would not rest until convict Kuldeep Singh Sengar is hanged, after the apex court stayed the Delhi High Court order suspending his life sentence.

The Supreme Court, while hearing a plea filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) challenging the high court’s decision, issued notice to Sengar and asked him to file his response, PTI reported.

“I am very happy with this decision. I have got justice from the Supreme Court. I have been raising my voice for justice from the very beginning,” the survivor told PTI. She clarified, “I do not make any allegations against any court. I have faith in all courts, but the Supreme Court has given me justice and will continue to do so.”

She added firmly, “I will not rest until he is hanged. I will keep fighting. Only then will my family and I get justice. We receive threats even today.”

Family Members Express Relief

The survivor’s family welcomed the apex court’s decision, saying it had restored their faith in the justice system. Her sister expressed confidence that the court would ensure Sengar is not released, calling him a “monster” who had not only raped her sister but also devastated the entire family. She affirmed that his bail should continue to be denied and that the family would keep pursuing the case.

The survivor’s mother thanked the Supreme Court for the relief and reiterated that those responsible for her husband’s death, including Sengar, deserved the death penalty.

Activist Yogita Bhayana noted that the Supreme Court’s order carries broader significance beyond a single case, emphasizing that while stays on bail are not ordinarily granted, this case stands on different footing due to its gravity and circumstances.

Supreme Court Stay on Bail

On Monday, a vacation bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices J K Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih stayed the Delhi High Court order that had suspended Sengar’s life sentence and granted him bail. The bench directed that Sengar should not be released from custody until further orders.

The Delhi High Court had on December 23 suspended Sengar’s sentence, noting that the former Unnao legislator had already spent seven years and five months in prison. The suspension was ordered pending the hearing of his appealagainst his December 2019 conviction by the trial court.

Sengar, who was expelled from the BJP, will continue to remain in jail as he is also serving a 10-year sentence in the custodial death case of the survivor’s father and has not been granted bail in that matter.

The rape case and related cases were transferred from Uttar Pradesh to Delhi on the Supreme Court’s directions on August 1, 2019, highlighting the sensitive and high-profile nature of the proceedings.

The apex court’s decision has been widely welcomed as a significant step in ensuring justice and upholding the rights of survivors, sending a strong message about accountability in cases of sexual violence and custodial crimes.