HC asks police, son of Raj minister to respond to plea to cancel anticipatory bail in rape case

Additional Public Prosecutor Amit Sahni appeared for the state of Delhi and accepted notice in the matter.

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court Thursday sought the response of the Delhi Police and a Rajasthan minister's son, who is accused of repeatedly raping a woman, on a plea by the victim seeking cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to the man. Justice Yogesh Khanna issued notice to the NCT of Delhi and the accused man on the woman's petition challenging a trial court's order granting him anticipatory bail and listed the matter for further hearing on August 23.

Additional Public Prosecutor Amit Sahni appeared for the state of Delhi and accepted notice in the matter. The woman, in her plea, has sought cancellation of anticipatory bail granted to accused Rohit Joshi by a trial court here on June 9, on the ground that despite reasonable apprehension being raised by her in light of the threats already received by her, the additional sessions judge (ASJ) failed to take into consideration this material aspect while passing the order. Moreover, the ASJ failed to impose appropriate conditions on the respondent in this regard.

Respondent no. 2 being the son of a sitting minister of the Rajasthan legislative assembly is a highly influential person who has the capacity to create hindrance in the investigating process and coerce and intimidate the petitioner/witnesses. However, all these material aspects were ignored while granting bail to Respondent no. 2, the petition, filed through advocates Monish Panda and Abhishek Pati, said.

The plea claimed that the man after being granted anticipatory bail had made constant endeavours to threaten and browbeat her to pressurise her to take back her complaint made against him. Moreover, on June 11, the respondent sent his goons who threw chemical on complainant's face and warned her that 'Tu manegi nahi na case wapis le, Yah to bas trailer hai' (withdraw your case, this just a trailer) and fled from the scene of the crime, the plea said, adding that an FIR has been registered in this regard at Shaheen Bagh police station here.

The woman also claimed that on July 10, her father and brother were also attacked in Jaipur and an FIR was lodged there in this regard. She said despite having protection from the Rajasthan High Court, she was being continuously harassed and harmed, which showcased the power, influence and authority that Respondent no. 2 exercises amongst the society at large and he even has contacts with numerous history sheeters and hardened criminals.

The investigation in the matter is at present very nascent/initial stage and can be easily tampered with and interfered with especially when material aspects related to the case are still left to be uncovered, the plea said. According to the plea, the woman came in contact with the man in 2020 through social media, and in January last year, she went to Sawai Madhopur along with the man and his friends where he gave her a sedative-laced juice and raped her while she was unconscious.

He blackmailed and threatened her on the pretext of leaking her objectionable photographs and videos in public, it alleged, adding that thereafter, she was repeatedly raped by her at various places, including Delhi. In May, the woman made a complaint against the accused before Sadar Bazar Police Station here, and later an FIR was lodged for the alleged offences including rape, unnatural sex, causing miscarriage, and criminal intimidation under the IPC. (PTI)