Supreme Court to Hear CBI Appeal Against Kuldeep Sengar’s Bail on December 29

The Supreme Court of India is set to hear a high-stakes appeal by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Monday, December 29, 2025. The petition challenges a recent Delhi High Court order that suspended the life sentence of expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar and granted him bail in the 2017 Unnao rape case.

Hearing Details

• The Bench: A three-judge vacation bench led by Chief Justice of India (CJI) Surya Kant, alongside Justices J.K. Maheshwari and Augustine George Masih, will hear the matter.
• The Context: The court is currently on winter recess, but the CJI constituted the bench to treat the CBI’s appeal as an urgent matter.
• Legal Challenge: The CBI describes the High Court’s December 23 order as “contrary to law” and “perverse.” Specifically, the agency contests the High Court’s finding that Sengar, despite being a sitting MLA at the time of the crime, did not qualify as a “public servant” under the POCSO Act.

Allegations of Collusion

On Saturday, December 27, the survivor of the 2017 rape and her mother met with CBI officials in New Delhi to file a formal complaint alleging serious misconduct within the investigation.

• Investigating Officer (IO) Misconduct: The survivor alleged that the IO colluded with judicial authorities to weaken her case. She claimed the officer used “forged school documents” to misrepresent her age and falsely attributed statements to her in the chargesheet.
• Family’s Stance: The survivor’s mother expressed deep skepticism about the CBI’s independence, stating she would only trust the agency if they “stand by her side” during the Supreme Court proceedings.
• Current Status of Sengar: Despite the High Court’s grant of bail in the rape case, Sengar remains in custody as he is serving a separate 10-year sentence for the custodial death of the survivor’s father.

Timeline of Recent Events (December 2025)