Rajasthan mantri son’s rape accuser to get police cover

JAIPUR: The Jaipur bench of the Rajasthan HC on Monday ordered police protection for a 23-year-old woman who has accused state cabinet minister Mahesh Joshi’s son Rohit of rape and blackmail.
The court’s directive was in response to a petition filed by the woman’s counsel, seeking protection for her in the face of alleged threats and intimidation ever since she named Rohit in an FIR registered at New Delhi’s Sadar Bazar police station. Her counsel claimed in court that the state police didn’t accept her complaint under political pressure, compelling her to travel to Delhi and file a case against Rohit. The minister’s son has gone into hiding since.
Taking cognisance of the family’s apprehensions, Justice Birendra Kumar said the woman and her kin should be provided round-the-clock security till Rohit is arrested and a chargesheet is filed.
According to the FIR, Rohit allegedly spiked the woman’s drink during an outing on January 8 last year, assaulted her and took pictures and videos that he later threatened to release to the public. She accused him of sexual assault on several occasions thereafter.