The Supreme Court of India is currently hearing the CBI’s challenge against the bail granted to Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the high-profile 2017 Unnao rape case. The case involves serious allegations of sexual assault against a minor, as well as the custodial death of the survivor’s father. During proceedings, the Solicitor General and the CBI’s legal team emphasized that Sengar’s status as a public servant should not mitigate the gravity of the offense. They argued that the Prevention of Corruption Act provisions, which were cited in the High Court for bail, do not apply in cases of sexual assault, particularly when the survivor is a minor. They highlighted that Sengar, as an influential figure, abused his position to commit a serious crime, and therefore, the minimum sentence under the relevant IPC sections should be life imprisonment. The Supreme Court bench, led by the Chief Justice, focused on the legal and technical grounds on which the Delhi High Court granted bail, rather than re-evaluating the merits of the original sentence. While protests and public demonstrations continue outside the court, the proceedings remain strictly confined to legal arguments regarding bail, sentencing suspension, and technical interpretations of public servant provisions.

