In a relief to Congress leader Rohit Tilak, a local court here on Thursday allowed the extension of the bail application granted to him in a rape case, while quashing the 41-year-old lady complainant’s application of perjury against the politico.
Additional Sessions Judge Lata Yenkar, while passing the ruling, directed Mr. Tilak - a descendant of ‘Lokmanya’ Bal Gangadar Tilak – to cooperate fully with the police investigation.
“We are disappointed with the ruling as not enough emphasis was given to section 313 in our complaint (causing miscarriage consent) against the accused (Tilak),” said Advocate Tosif Shaikh, representing the complainant.
Mr. Shaikh said the complainant was planning to move the Bombay High Court against the order.
Earlier, the complainant had moved the Pune Sessions to transfer the case to another court, but her plea was dismissed by the principal district judge (PDJ) Shriram Modak.
In fact, she has filed no less than three applications in the Pune Sessions Court in the past week, including one for cancellation of Mr. Tilak’s anticipatory bail and another demanding medical examination of the accused.
After her application seeking transfer of case was rejected, the complainant reportedly took to Twitter and alleged that ‘political influence’ has resulted in Mr. Tilak escaping arrest and claimed that medical evidence has been destroyed.
Mr. Tilak (37), was booked on July 17 under sections 376 (rape), 377 (unnatural sex), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt) 504, 506 (criminal intimidation) 507 (criminal intimidation by anonymous communication), but was granted interim anticipatory bail on July 20.
The complainant, in her petition, has accused Mr. Tilak of categorically portraying himself as ‘unmarried’ while indulging in sexual intercourse with her. She has also accused the Congress leader of “emotional blackmail” and repeated assault and extracting a sum to the tune of ₹58 lakh from her.
However, Mr. Tilak’s advocate, Nandu Phadke, while questioning the merits of the original rape case, argued that despite the reams of possible evidence submitted by the lady, who is a law practitioner herself, only selective portions had been submitted.
