CHANDIGARH: It has been more than 50 days since the
Supreme Court stayed the Punjab and Haryana high court's orders granting bail to three men for allegedly blackmailing and gang-raping a student of O P
Jindal Global University at Sonepat. And yet, none of the three have been arrested as yet.
The survivor has now moved the
district court at Sonepat, seeking that the bail of all three men be cancelled on the basis of the Supreme Court's order. Additional district and sessions judge of Sonipat, Sunita Grover, on December 21 issued non-bailable warrants against the accused on the survivor's plea.
In its orders, passed on November 6, a division bench of the Supreme Court comprising Justice S A Bobde and Justice
Mohan M Shantanagoudar had issued notice to the state government and the accused men on the survivor's plea against the high court's orders. In its orders, the Supreme Court had stated, "until further orders, there shall be complete stay on orders passed by the high court."
Haven't received warrants against rape accused: Police
The survivor had first accused the three of repeatedly raping and blackmailing her in April 2015. In May 2017, a local court in Sonepat had given a 20-year jail term each to Hardik and Karan and sentenced Vikas to seven years in jail.
On September 13, a division bench of the high court had granted bail to three accused - Hardik Sikri, Karan Chabra and Vikas Garg - observing, "victim's statement offers an alternate conclusion of misadventure stemming from a "promiscuous attitude and a voyeuristic mind".
The court had added, "She states that "he (Hardik) then sent his own nude pictures and coaxed me into sending my own nude pictures". The perverse streak in both is also revealed from her admission that a sex toy was suggested by Hardik and her acceptance of the same".
As the state failed to implement the Supreme Court orders, the girl approached the district court. Joginder Singh Rana, counsel for the survivor, told TOI that he would not be able to comment on the issue but they want "the accused to abide by law and to implement the orders of Supreme Court". He confirmed that the court has issued non-bailable warrants against the accused on December 21.
Talking to TOI, Inspector Rishikant, SHO of Rai Police Station, said, "We have not received the warrants against the accused." Sources, however, confirmed TOI that it was the prosecution that had to ensure implementation of the Supreme Court order.
A complaint was lodged by the girl student to the university administration on April 11, 2015, alleging that the trio, final year law students of the university, have been blackmailing and raping her since August 2013. She also alleged that the accused were having her objectionable photos and they used to threaten her about making the photos viral. She was being blackmailed and forced to have physical relations with them.
