NEW DELHI — As of December 28, 2025, the Unnao rape case remains at the center of a legal standoff following the Delhi High Court's decision to grant bail to convict and former MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. While Sengar remains behind bars for a separate conviction, a series of rapid legal challenges and public protests have unfolded over the last 48 hours.
1. Supreme Court to Hear CBI Challenge Tomorrow
The Supreme Court of India is scheduled to hear a Special Leave Petition (SLP) filed by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) tomorrow, December 29, 2025.
The Bench: A three-judge vacation bench, led by Chief Justice Surya Kant and including Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, will preside over the matter.
The Appeal: The CBI is challenging the Delhi High Court’s December 23 order, which suspended Sengar’s life sentence. The agency argues that the High Court adopted an "unduly narrow interpretation" of the POCSO Act by ruling that an MLA does not qualify as a "public servant" under Section 5(c) of the Act.
Public Interest Litigations: In addition to the CBI’s plea, the Court will also hear a separate petition filed by advocates Anjale Patel and Pooja Shilpkar challenging the same bail order.
2. Survivor Seeks FIR Against Investigating Officer
In a significant escalation on December 27, the survivor and her mother formally approached the CBI seeking an FIR against the original Investigating Officer (IO).
Allegations of Collusion: The survivor submitted a six-page complaint alleging the IO was "hand in glove" with Sengar. She claims the officer manipulated the chargesheet by:
Using forged school records to misrepresent her age.
Falsely attributing statements to her that she never made.
Asserting she used a mobile phone that did not belong to her to weaken her testimony.
Outcome: A junior official at the CBI headquarters accepted the complaint. A meeting with senior officials is expected on Monday.
3. Current Detention Status of Kuldeep Singh Sengar
Despite the High Court’s bail order in the 2017 rape case, Sengar has not walked free.
Separate Conviction: He is concurrently serving a 10-year rigorous imprisonment sentence for the 2018 custodial death of the survivor’s father. He has not been granted bail or a suspension of sentence in that matter.
Strict Conditions: Should he be released in the future, the High Court has mandated a ₹15 lakh bond, a prohibition on entering a 5-km radius of the survivor’s home, and weekly reporting to the Delhi Police.
4. Protests and Civil Unrest in the Capital
Public outrage over the bail order led to a second day of demonstrations in New Delhi on December 27.
Detentions at Parliament: Delhi Police detained several activists and political figures, including Yogita Bhayana and Congress leader Mumtaz Patel, during a sit-in near the Parliament House complex.
Police Statement: Officials stated the area was not a designated protest site and the individuals were removed after refusing to disperse.
