SC Seeks Response Of Former Chief Secretary Of Andaman To Respond To A Plea Against Bail Granted To Him In Rape Case

The Supreme Court today sought the response of a former chief secretary of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands, facing prosecution in a rape case, on a plea by the 21-year-old alleged victim woman challenging the bail granted to him by the high court.

A bench of Justice Krishna Murari and Justice Ahsanuddin Amanullah issued notice to accused Jitendra Narain on the plea by alleged rape survivor. The apex court, however, refused to stay the order of the Port Blair circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court which had granted bail to Narain on February 20.

The woman has alleged that she was raped by Narain and others after being lured to the then chief secretary's residence with the promise of a government job. The FIR was registered on October 1, 2022, when Narain was posted as the chairman and managing director of the Delhi Financial Corporation. The Centre suspended him on October 17, 2022.

During the hearing before the apex court, the counsel for the woman argued the high court granted bail to the former chief secretary in a casual manner. The counsel submitted the sessions court judge had recorded in the order that the accused is the most influential person and had tampered with the CCTV footage and destroyed the hard disk.

He said the high court has given a certificate in favour of the accused and said it is a first time offence. When the complainant's counsel prayed for a stay on the High Court order, the bench said, "Stay of the order so that he is arrested and sent to the jail!."

The Calcutta High Court had earlier directed Narain to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing the allegation of rape against him and other accused by October 28, 2022.

The SIT was probing the woman's allegation that she was raped by Narain and others on April 14, 2022, and May 1, 2022, following an FIR filed at the Aberdeen police station in Port Blair.

The SIT has filed a charge sheet on February 3 against Narain, businessman Sandeep Singh alias Rinku and suspended labour commissioner Rishishwarlal Rishi based on the statements of nearly 90 witnesses, forensic science reports and electronic evidence, police said. It was alleged in the charge sheet that Narain misused his position to destroy evidence at his official residence last year.

With PTI Inputs