Decide on Sengar's plea in 3 months in custodial death case: SC to Delhi HC

The Supreme Court on Monday asked the Delhi High Court to accord an out-of-turn hearing to expelled BJP leader Kuldeep Singh Sengar's plea challenging his conviction in the custodial death case of the Unnao rape survivor's father, and said it should be decided within three months.

While refusing to entertain Sengar's plea challenging a January 19 order of the high court, a bench of Chief Justice of India Surya Kant, and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N V Anjaria said the appeal, if any, filed by the victim's family should also be heard by the high court along with Sengar's petition.

The bench was hearing Sengar's plea challenging the high court's order that had refused to suspend his 10-year jail term in the case.

During the hearing, the CJI expressed disapproval over the victim's counsel giving statements in the media about the case. "We are not sitting in an ivory tower. We know a media trial is going on outside," Justice Kant said, adding he would not tolerate any "parallel trial"