Man accused of coercing ‘rape victim’ gets bail

Mumbai: A special POCSO court has granted bail to former Congress Municipal corporator Gautam Sable on a personal bond of  Rs 30,000. The Nehru Nagar police had arrested Sable for allegedly pressurising a rape victim to skip the medical examination.

According to the prosecution, on March 17, a man had registered a case of kidnapping against one Sagar Tungaria, alleging he kidnapped his 17-year-old daughter when she had gone to answer nature’s call. As soon as Tungaria learnt about the FIR, he brought the girl back to Mumbai.

After recording the girl’s statement and conducting medical tests, the police had arrested Tungaria for raping the victim. Later the police also arrested Sable for allegedly pressurising the girl to not take the medical test.

Advocate Ramprasad Gupta, on behalf of Sable, had argued that the allegations levelled against the applicant had nothing to do with the present offence. The prime accused, who was arrested for kidnapping and raping the victim, had already been granted bail on the ground that they were having a love affair.

Advocate Gupta also argued that there was no mention about Sable in the FIR and in her first statement, the victim did not make any statements about him, hence his custodial interrogation is not required.

After hearing arguments judge S R Patil granted Sable bail observing that the victim had not stated anything about present applicant in both her statement.

The judge noted that at the time of medical examination victim was not under the pressure and force of police but still she has not uttered any single word about present applicant.