Protests broke out outside the Delhi High Court on Friday after the court granted conditional bail to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar in the high-profile Unnao rape case. People gathered near the court, raising slogans against the decision, expressing outrage over the suspension of Sengar’s jail term.
Survivor of the case expressed deep concern, saying, “I am extremely upset by what has happened today in the court.” She added that she feels “extremely unsafe” following the bail order.
Mother Demands Justice, Threatens Supreme Court Appeal
Talking to ANI, the survivor’s mother demanded strict action against Sengar. “His bail should be rejected… We will knock on the doors of the Supreme Court. We have lost faith in the high court… If we don’t get justice in the Supreme Court, we will go to another country… The person guilty of my husband’s murder should be hanged immediately,” she said.
Security personnel at the court asked protesters to disperse, warning that legal action would be taken against those who did not comply.
Activists and Public Speak Out
Women’s rights activist Yogita Bhayana, present at the protest, said, “Women across India are deeply hurt that the sentence of a rapist has been overturned. This happened in this very court. So, we will seek justice from the same place where the injustice occurred.”
Another protester questioned, “On what grounds was Kuldeep Sengar granted bail, when it was declared that he had committed rapes and murders? If a life sentence was given to him, then why is he out?… We demand that the rapist go behind bars so women feel safe.”
Case Background: Life Sentence and Controversy
Kuldeep Singh Sengar was convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment in December 2019 for the 2017 rape of a 17-year-old girl in Unnao, Uttar Pradesh. The Delhi High Court’s recent order noted that he had already served more than the maximum punishment prescribed under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, leading to his conditional release. The court barred Sengar from coming within five kilometres of the survivor, but the decision sparked fresh fears within her family.
Survivor Fears for Safety
The survivor, now 24 and residing in Delhi, said she feels unsafe because Sengar “is a powerful man. He would get his men to do his dirty work for him. When my car met with an accident in which two of my relatives and my lawyer died in 2019, Sengar didn’t do it himself. His henchmen did. Now that he is out, we are all unsafe.”
She is currently accompanied by five to 11 CRPF personnel, although her mother said the previous security cover for her and her three children, provided until March this year, had been withdrawn.
Public Outcry Over Bail Decision
The bail order in such a sensitive and high-profile case has triggered nationwide concern about justice for survivors of sexual violence. Legal experts say the case highlights the balance courts must maintain between statutory provisions and victims’ safety.
Protests continue to call for stricter enforcement and faster justice, emphasizing that survivors and their families deserve protection and faith in the legal system.