Hours after the Delhi High Court granted bail to former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, the Unnao rape survivor and her mother were stopped by security forces from addressing the media in Delhi.
BY PC Bureau
December 24, 2025: Hours after the Delhi High Court suspended the sentence of former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar and granted him conditional bail, disturbing scenes unfolded on the streets of the national capital as paramilitary personnel prevented the Unnao rape survivor and her mother from addressing the media and forcibly separated them during a protest.
The survivor and her mother were protesting the High Court’s decision to suspend Sengar’s life sentence while his appeal against his 2019 rape conviction remains pending. The court’s order has triggered outrage among women’s rights groups and activists, with the survivor saying it has revived fears for her safety.
On Tuesday night, the survivor, her mother, and lawyer-activist Yogita Bhayana staged a protest near India Gate, where they were detained by security personnel. The following morning, they planned to speak to the media at Mandi House. However, the CRPF-escorted bus carrying them did not stop at the venue.
According to CRPF officials, permission had not been granted for a protest at either Mandi House or India Gate, and the survivor and her mother were to be taken either to Jantar Mantar or back to their residence in Delhi.
What followed sparked public outrage. Visuals showed the survivor’s elderly mother standing at the open gate of a moving bus as CRPF personnel repeatedly asked her to jump off. Despite the presence of the rape survivor, there were no women CRPF personnel inside the bus. After being repeatedly pushed and pressured, the mother jumped off the moving vehicle, while the bus drove away with the survivor still inside.
Speaking to reporters later, the survivor’s mother broke down, alleging mistreatment by security personnel. “We did not get justice. My daughter has been held captive. It feels like they want to kill us. The CRPF men took my daughter away and dropped me on the road,” she said, adding that they had only wanted to protest peacefully.
“No justice for rape victims in India.” ❌😢
The Delhi Police detained Unnao gang-rape surviver at India Gate for protesting the bail granted to ex- BJP MLA Kuldeep Sengar.
Not surprised. They even filed an FIR against me for a candle march for Hathras victim. pic.twitter.com/aEXma4MP71
— Suraj Kumar Bauddh (@SurajKrBauddh) December 24, 2025
The survivor, who was 17 years old when she was raped in Uttar Pradesh’s Unnao district in June 2017, questioned the judiciary’s decision. “How can our judiciary do this to us?” she told NDTV, adding that the timing of the relief to Sengar, ahead of Uttar Pradesh elections, had intensified her fears. She said she would challenge the High Court’s order in the Supreme Court and seek an urgent hearing.
Kuldeep Singh Sengar, a powerful BJP MLA at the time, was expelled from the party after the allegations surfaced. In 2019, he was convicted of raping a minor under the POCSO Act. He was also convicted in a separate case related to the custodial death of the survivor’s father, who had been arrested on allegedly fabricated charges and later died in custody.
VIDEO | Delhi: Unnao rape survivor’s mother told PTI, “My tears will stop when his bail gets cancelled. Only then will my children eat food.”
On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court suspended the sentence of Sengar, who is serving life imprisonment in the case, and ordered his release… pic.twitter.com/qLrjzLSB0w
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) December 24, 2025
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The Delhi High Court on Tuesday suspended Sengar’s life sentence, citing provisions under the pre-2019 POCSO Act. The court held that an MLA does not fall under the category of a “public servant” or a person in a “position of trust” under the law as it stood at the time of the offence, reducing the minimum applicable sentence to seven years — a term Sengar has already completed.
As part of the conditions imposed, Sengar must furnish a personal bond of ₹15 lakh, remain in Delhi, avoid entering within five kilometres of the survivor’s residence, have no contact with her or her family, surrender his passport, and report weekly to the police. He will, however, remain in jail to serve a separate 10-year sentence in the custodial death case.
CRPF officials said the survivor was being taken back to her Delhi residence, where she has been living under central security cover following years of threats, intimidation and multiple tragedies since she first spoke out.
Despite the developments, the survivor and her supporters say they will continue their legal battle. “We have been fighting for justice for nine years. I lost my husband in this struggle. Police intimidate us, manhandle us, and now this,” her mother said. “But we will not give up.”
