India, Dec. 30 -- The Supreme Court's decision to stop the release of former BJP lawmaker Kuldeep Singh Sengar from jail and stay an earlier order by the Delhi High Court, which had opened the door for some relief for the convicted rapist, makes two important points.

One, it points out that Sengar was convicted not just under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act - the victim was a minor when the crime occurred in 2017 - but also under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code. The apex court said that the high court was not conscious that the strongman politician was found guilty under two penal statutes, and therefore, the definition of public servant under Pocso - the high court had found that Sengar could not ...