Calcutta HC Directs Ex-Andaman Chief Secy To Appear Before SIT Over Alleged Gangrape Charges
A 21-year old woman had alleged that she was lured to former Andaman and Nicobar Island chief secretary Jitendra Narain's home by promising a government job and then raped by top officials there.
New Delhi: The Calcutta High Court has directed former Andaman and Nicobar Islands Chief Secretary Jitendra Narain to appear before a Special Investigation Team (SIT) which is probing into alleged gang-rape charges against him, by October 28, holding that the case requires immediate inquiry, reported news agency PTI.
A vacation bench comprising justices Bibek Chaudhuri and Prasenjit Biswas granted interim protection against arrest to Narain till a date that will be fixed by the circuit bench of the Calcutta High Court in Port Blair on November 14 on its first date of sitting after the Puja vacation, reported the news agency.
The SIT was constituted to investigate an allegation by a 21-year old woman that she was gang-raped by the former chief secretary and others on April 14 and May 1, on the basis of an FIR filed at Aberdeen Police Station in Port Blair on October 1. The woman had alleged that she was lured to chief secretary’s home by promising a government job and then raped by top officials there.
The court also noted that Narain, who was transferred to Delhi on July 21, has declared that he is ready and willing to cooperate with the investigation.
Holding that the case requires immediate investigation, the court stated, "We direct the petitioner to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) on a date/dates fixed by the SIT during the period 22nd October, 3 2022 to 28th October, 2022 giving at least two days prior notice to the learned Advocate for the petitioner." The bench allowed the SIT to interrogate and take all other steps such as medical examination of the petitioner in the course of interrogation.
A joint team of police officers from Andaman and Nicobar Islands and Delhi raided the house of Narain on October 18, following which he filed an application before the Delhi High Court praying for transit anticipatory bail.
A single bench of the Delhi High Court granted interim protection from arrest to Narain till October 28.
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