Unnao rape survivor’s family protests outside Delhi High Court over Kuldeep Sengar bail

Family members of the Unnao rape survivor, along with women's rights activists, staged a protest outside the Delhi High Court on Friday (Dec 25), objecting to the conditional bail granted to former BJP MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar. The protest drew swift intervention from police, who warned demonstrators that protests were not permitted outside the court. "Demonstrating here is prohibited and illegal. Legal action may be taken against you after five minutes. If you want to protest, go to Jantar Mantar."

Earlier, the Delhi High Court suspended Sengar’s life sentence in the Unnao rape case, granting him bail on the condition that he furnish a bond of Rs 15 lakh. The court also imposed strict restrictions, directing him to remain in Delhi, avoid a five-kilometre radius around the survivor's residence, and have no contact with the victim or her family.

Unnao victim's mother says 'lost faith,' to approach SC

The victim's mother, speaking emotionally to reporters, said the High Court's decision had shaken her faith in the justice system. She insisted that Sengar’s bail must be cancelled and announced her intention to approach the Supreme Court of India.

"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...," she told ANI. Referring to her husband’s custodial death, she added that those responsible should face the harshest punishment: "The person guilty of my husband's murder should be hanged immediately".

Women's rights activist Yogita Bhayana said the protest was peaceful and aimed solely at seeking justice for the survivor. She stressed that the group wanted the court to urgently hear their petition challenging the bail order.

"Today, we have come to the High Court peacefully to appeal that the injustice done to our daughter be revoked and that the petition we are about to file be heard. If we do not get justice, we will protest, and that is our right..." Bhayana said.

A 'huge setback'

Political reactions also followed. Congress leader Mumtaz Patel described the bail order as a "huge setback" and warned that it could seriously undermine the confidence of women in the legal system.

"This is a huge setback, the way the High Court has given Sengar a free pass on a technicality. This is setting a very bad precedent in the country... How much their confidence must have been shattered by this ruling. Not just theirs, but that of women across the country," Patel said.

Despite the bail in the rape case, Sengar will remain in jail for now, as he has not been granted bail in the separate case relating to the custodial death of the survivor's father. He is serving a 10-year sentence for the crime.