"Have To Pursue Till He Gets Death Penalty": Unnao Rape Survivor's Promise

The Unnao rape survivor has expressed faith in the Supreme Court after it stayed a Delhi High Court order suspending the sentence of Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the ex-BJP MLA who raped her.

"I had faith in the Supreme Court that justice would be delivered… my struggle is ongoing and will continue… I have to pursue this till he gets the death penalty," she told news agency IANS.

"Only then will I get justice… only then will my father get justice," she said, while her mother also thanked the top court. "The court opened to hear our case and, for that, we are grateful..."

The young woman also underscored her disappointment with at least one of the judges who suspended her rapist's life sentence. "I don't know what was going on in that judge's mind… only he knows how much affection he had for him (Sengar) to have shown mercy…" she said.

Delhi: On the Supreme Court staying Unnao rape convict former MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar's bail, the victim's mother says, "I thank the Supreme Court. The court specially opened to hear our case, and for that, we are grateful..." pic.twitter.com/nC95VQUfOA

— IANS (@ians_india) December 29, 2025

The Unnao rape survivor has hinted in the past about links between Sengar and a judge (whom she did not name) and also to the CBI officer who was tasked with investigating the case.

The CBI, the lead investigating actor in this case, was heavily criticised after the High Court suspended Sengar's sentence; many wanted to know why it could not do as another federal agency, the Enforcement Directorate, had done in the case of AAP boss Arvind Kejriwal.

Earlier today a vacation bench of the Supreme Court acknowledged a responsibility to the survivor and issued notice to Sengar based on a plea by the Central Bureau of Investigation – the lead investigating and prosecution agency. The ex-BJP leader was given four weeks to respond.

The court noted drily that there is no question of compromise personal liberty; Sengar remains in jail for now, serving a concurrent sentence over the custodial death of the woman's father.

The 2017 Unnao rape case made headlines this week after Sengar – then representing the Bangarmau seat – had his sentence suspended and was granted bail pending an appeal against the trial court's verdict. In a controversial order, the High Court reasoned his MLA status did not justify the lower court considering him a 'public servant'.

The bench of Justice Subramonium Prasad and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan also said anti-child sexual offences law POCSO could not be applied in this case.

And, having dismissed Sengar as a 'public servant', the High Court said the seven-and-a-half years served so far is "more than minimum number" prescribed by law in this case.

As a result Kuldeep Sengar was released on conditional bail; the conditions include a Rs 15 lakh personal bond, a promise not to leave Delhi or come within five km of the survivor.

The release order was widely condemned while shocking scenes from Delhi – where the survivor and her mother were bullied and intimidated by central security forces while trying to protest – added to the tension and anger that has erupted over the past week.

His release led to clashes in Delhi Tuesday and Wednesday between central forces tasked with 'guarding' the survivor and members of her family, including frightening visuals of her mother seemingly forced to jump from a moving bus that then drove off with her daughter on board.

Speaking to reporters after the outrageous incident, the mother broke down and said, "We did not get justice. My daughter has been held captive. It seems they want to kill us."

A CRPF officer later claimed the survivor was being 'escorted' back home, though no formal statement has been made on the mother being removed from the bus.