The Delhi High Court on Thursday has granted 2-week interim bail to Kuldeep Singh Sengar, who is serving a life sentence in the POCSO case and was convicted in the 2018 Unnao rape case.
The bail was granted on medical grounds for his treatment.
A division bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma allowed the request for temporary relief, following Sengar’s plea for a 30-day suspension of his sentence for medical treatment. The court directed that Sengar be admitted to AIIMS New Delhi for a medical evaluation, with the hospital’s medical superintendent facilitating the process.
The High Court further instructed that, based on the evaluation by the medical board, the Medical Superintendent should report back to the court and recommend whether Sengar’s treatment could be continued at AIIMS.
Sengar has claimed to suffer from multiple health issues, including diabetes, cataracts, retinal problems, and other ailments. The court directed that he be admitted to the hospital for at least 2-3 days.
After discharge, Sengar must remain at a known location and stay in contact with the investigating officer. Additionally, the court prohibited him from leaving Delhi during this period.
The bench also stated that after the medical evaluation, a status report would be presented at the next hearing, with the Medical Superintendent advising whether the required treatment can be provided at AIIMS or if further steps are necessary.
Senior advocate N Hariharan, representing Sengar, argued that Sengar needs treatment for a retina issue and requested that he be allowed to undergo care at Shankar Netralaya in Chennai.
However, Advocate Mehmood Pracha, representing the rape survivor, opposed the bail application. He pointed out that previous medical reports didn’t indicate that the treatment sought by Sengar could not be provided at AIIMS. Pracha also expressed concerns that releasing Sengar on interim bail might pose a threat to the victim, who is currently under security protection.
After hearing both sides, the court granted the interim bail and scheduled the next hearing for December 20 to review the medical status and consider further proceedings.
