New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday (May 17) provided interim relief from arrest to Indian Youth Congress president B.V. Srinivas by granting him anticipatory bail in a case lodged by a former Assam Youth Congress member, Angkita Dutta, accusing him of causing her mental agony. Dutta was, thereafter, issued a show cause notice and expelled from the Youth Congress.
The Supreme Court directive by a bench of Justices B.R. Gavai and Sanjay Karol overrules the May 5 Gauhati high court order which had rejected Srinivas’s anticipatory bail plea, leading him to approach the apex court.
The Supreme Court bench has issued notices to the Assam government and others seeking their response to the matter by July 10. “We have perused the CrPc section)164 statement which has been so graciously placed before us by the prosecution. We do not wish to say anything against the state at this stage,” the bench said.
The court said, according to PTI, “Taking into consideration the one-month delay in lodging the FIR, the petitioner is entitled to interim protection. We direct that in the event of arrest, the petitioner shall be released on anticipatory bail on furnishing sureties to the sum of Rs.50,000.”
The news report said Srinivas was asked to cooperate in the investigation and appear before the police on May 22, as asked by the state police. The court also asked him to cooperate in the investigation being done by the National Commission for Women.
Appearing for Srinivas, advocate Abhisekh Singhvi said the complainant raised the issue on Twitter first and also gave six media interviews before lodging the FIR, arguing that there was no sexual harassment in her statements. “Though the allegations pertain to February, she kept quiet till April,” Singhvi argued.
“As additional solicitor general S V Raju started arguing, the bench asked him whether he was appearing for the CBI or ED. The ASG replied that he is representing the Assam Government,” the PTI report said. A LiveLaw report added that Justice Gavai then asked the ASG in a lighter vein, “CBI, ED have not yet come in?”
The ASG added that the complainant took her grievance to the party and she came out in public only after her party refused to take action.
The Supreme Court will hear the matter again in July.