In yet another major development in the rape case against ET Now anchor Varun Hiremath, the victim has written to Home Minister Amit Shah and Delhi Police Commissioner alleging failure by the police to arrest him.
The letter written by the victim and addressed to Police Commissioner S.N. Shrivastava and Home Minister Amit Shah also questioned why the prosecution had failed to demand his presence at the time of filing an anticipatory bail application by the accused.
“This shocking degree of insensitivity towards my case is deeply distressing, and also makes me understand the true reason as to why so many rape victims in our country choose to suffer in silence, rather than to seek justice against their perpetrators,” said the victim in her letter, a copy of which has been accessed by India Legal. The letter, written on March 9, was received by the Home Ministry and the office of the Delhi Police Commissioner on April 9. The Delhi High Court granted interim protection from arrest to ET Now anchor Varun Hiremath on April 7 in the case.
A single-judge bench of Justice Mukta Gupta on April 9 granted the relief, however, she clarified that the same would only be provided if Hiremath joins the investigation.
Mumbai-based ET Now Anchor Varun Hiremath has been accused of raping a 22-year-old Pune-based woman in New Delhi. The journalist was anticipating arrest in connection with the FIR lodged by the woman in Chanakyapuri Police station under sec. 376 (punishment for rape), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement), and 509 (insulting modesty of a woman) of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the complaint, the woman had alleged that she was raped by Hiremath in ITC Maurya Hotel in Chanakyapuri. However, Hiremath denied the allegation as false and frivolous as the FIR was registered after a delay of 3 days i.e on 23rd February 2021.
Thereafter, Hiremath moved the Bombay High Court seeking transit anticipatory bail which was rejected last month. While rejecting the plea, Justice P.D. Naik observed that the applicant is charged under Section 376 of IPC, hence, the court is not inclined to grant such relief in this case. However, the applicant may approach the appropriate court, the Judge had said.
Later, a Delhi court had also refused the anticipatory bail application of Hiremath, while observing that if the woman states in her evidence before the court that she did not consent, the court shall presume that she did not consent. The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge Sanjay Khanagwal.