News Analysis India

Tag: Varun Hiremath

  • HC grants anticipatory bail to Mumbai journalist Varun Hiremath in rape case

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to a Mumbai-based TV journalist in a rape case lodged against him by a 22-year-old woman.

    Justice Mukta Gupta granted the relief to journalist Varun Hiremath and disposed of his plea for anticipatory bail.

    The journalist had approached the high court after his anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by a trial court here on March 12.

    The complainant has alleged that she was raped by Hiremath (28) at a five-star hotel in Chanakyapuri on February 20.

    The counsel for the accused had claimed before the trial court that there was a history of sexual relationship between the complainant and the journalist.

    The trial court, while rejecting the journalist’s anticipatory bail plea, had said consent cannot be implied from the complainant’s previous experiences with the accused and if the woman stated in her evidence before the court that she did not consent, the court shall presume that she did not.

    The accused’s counsel had also highlighted WhatsApp and Instagram chats between the complainant and the accused before the trial court “in order to show the love and passion between them”.

    On the basis of the woman’s complaint, an FIR under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 376 (punishment for rape), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) was registered at the Chanakyapuri Police Station here.

    The complainant has sought the court’s direction to transfer the probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) alleging various discrepancies in the investigation carried out by the Delhi Police.

    She also sought to call for a status report pertaining to the probe conducted by the police in the FIR lodged at Chanakya Puri Police Station.

  • Delhi HC agrees to hold in-camera proceedings in Mumbai scribe’s anticipatory bail plea in rape case

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Friday agreed to conduct in-camera proceedings in the anticipatory bail plea of a Mumbai-based television journalist in a rape case.

    Justice Mukta Gupta said the matter will be taken up at 3:30 pm and a separate web link will be created for the lawyers appearing for journalist Varun Hiremath, the complainant and the Delhi Police.

    The case will be heard after all the listed matters for the day, the court said.

    A request for in-camera hearing was made by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Hiremath.

    He also informed the court that a status report has been filed by the police in the case.

    The court had, on April 9, granted interim protection from arrest to the journalist in the case till April 16, provided he joined the police investigation.

    It had issued notices and sought the responses of the police and the complainant on the journalist’s plea seeking anticipatory bail in the case.

    The court had also asked the police to verify the documents to be given by the accused and file a status report.

    The journalist approached the high court after his anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by a trial court here on March 12.

    The 22-year-old complainant has alleged that she was raped by Hiremath (28) at a five-star hotel in Chanakyapuri on February 20.

    The counsel for the accused claimed before the court that there was a history of sexual relationship between the complainant and the journalist.

    The complainant was represented in court through senior advocate Nitya Ramakrishnan.

    The trial court, while rejecting the journalist’s anticipatory bail plea, had said consent cannot be implied from the complainant’s previous experiences with the accused and if the woman stated in her evidence before the court that she did not consent, the court shall presume that she did not.

    The accused’s counsel had highlighted WhatsApp and Instagram chats between the complainant and the accused before the trial court “in order to show the love and passion between them for each other”.

    The trial court had also noted in its order that some WhatsApp chats of the victim and the accused after the alleged offence indicated “towards the feeling of sorry by the accused for his acts”.

    It had said the question of consent coupled with the conduct of the complainant and the accused was a matter of trial and that it was only considering the anticipatory bail plea.

    On the basis of the woman’s complaint, an FIR under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 376 (punishment for rape), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) was registered at the Chanakyapuri police station here.

  • HC grants interim protection from arrest to Mumbai journalist in rape case provided he joins probe

    By PTI
    NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court Friday granted interim protection from arrest to a Mumbai-based television journalist in a rape case provided he joins the police investigation.

    Justice Mukta Gupta issued notices and sought responses of Delhi Police and the complainant woman on journalist Varun Hiremath’s plea seeking anticipatory bail in the case.

    “Petitioner be not arrested till the next date of hearing subject to him joining the investigation as and when directed,” the high court said.

    It asked the police to verify the documents to be given by the man and file a status report and listed the matter for further hearing on April 16.

    Hiremath, represented through senior advocate Kapil Sibal, has approached the high court after his earlier anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by a trial court here on March 12.

    The 22-year-old woman in her complaint alleged she was raped by Hiremath at a five-star hotel in Chanakyapuri on February 20.

    The counsel for the 28-year-old man claimed before the court that that there had been a history of previous sexual relationship between the accused and the complainant.

    When advocate Siddharth Arora, representing the complainant, urged the court not to grant any protection to Hiremath as he has been on the run for last 50 days, the high court said if the man has documents to show that the relationship was consensual, let him join the investigation and police will verify it.

    Prosecutor Tarang Srivastava accepted notice on behalf of Delhi Police.

    The trial court, while rejecting the journalist’s anticipatory bail plea, had said that consent cannot be implied from the complainant’s previous experiences with the accused and if the woman stated in her evidence before the court that she did not consent, the court shall presume that she did not.

    Before the trial court, the man’s counsel had highlighted some WhatsApp and Instagram chats between the accused and the complainant “in order to show the love and passion between them for each other”.

    It had also noted in its order that some WhatsApp chats of the accused and the victim after the alleged offence indicated “towards the feeling of sorry by the accused of his acts”.

    It has said the question of consent coupled with the conduct of complainant and accused was a matter of trial and that it was only considering the anticipatory bail plea.

    On the basis of woman’s complaint, an FIR under IPC sections 376 (punishment of offence of rape), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) was registered at Chanakyapuri police station here.