UP law student who accused Chinmayanand of rape gets bail in extortion case

The Allahabad High Court on Wednesday granted bail to Shahjahanpur law student who had accused Chinmayanand of rape for allegedly trying to extort Rs 5 crore from the former Union minister.

The SIT had booked her and her cousins, including one friend, on a complaint made by Chinmayanand that they had demanded Rs 5 crore from him and threatened him with the release of objectionable videos.

Justice SD Singh allowed the bail application of law student after hearing counsel of concerned parties.

The girl’s counsel argued that she is a victim of sexual harassment and all the allegations against her are fabricated. It was argued by the counsel that the girl was raped by Chinmayanand for over a long period of time.

Chinmayanand’s counsel opposed the bail application of the law student on the ground that she was hiding the spy cam which was used for recording video of Swami Chinmayanand and later the videos were morphed by the girl to blackmail his client. If released on bail, she will destroy the spy cam which amounts to tampering with evidence.

The Court, after hearing the concerned parties, allowed the bail application of law student and observed that the police had already completed investigation in the case and had filed charge sheet against the law student.

In any case, no reasonable apprehension has been brought by the state that if applicant will be given bail she will delay the trial. Hence, there is no need to detain her any further.

Earlier, the Supreme Court had on September 2 directed the UP government to constitute an SIT to probe the sexual harassment allegations against Chinmayanand.

Almost a month after being accused of sexually harassing a law student, Chinmayanand was arrested on September 20, 2019 by the SIT in Shahjahanpur.

SIT had aldo registered a case against victim’s cousin, friends and also against an unnamed person on September 20 alleging that they had tried to extort money from Chinmayanand.

After arresting Chinmayanand for allegedly sexually harassing the law student, who was studying at a college run by him, the state police had also arrested three of student’s friend on charges of trying to extort the money. Later, the law student was also arrested in the extortion case.

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