JNU rape case: Court records victim's statement

A court here on Tuesday recorded the statement of a 28-year-old PhD student who has filed a complaint of rape against a Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student.

During in-camera proceedings, Metropolitan Magistrate Snigdha Sarvaria recorded the victim's statement. The recording of the statement remained inconclusive and it will be continued on Wednesday.

According to sources, the victim stands with her allegation she levelled against accused Anmol Ratan, a JNU student and former All India Student Association (AISA) activist.

Earlier on Tuesday, Ratan moved an anticipatory bail application before Additional Sessions Judge Amit Bansal who posted the matter for further hearing on August 27.

In his bail plea, Ratan told the court that case against him is politically motivated.

Ratan's defence counsel Rajiv Mohan said there were some political rivalries and ideological difference between the accused and victim.

Ratan was representing AISA while the woman belongs to some other political organisation, Mohan said.

The woman lodged a complaint at Vasant Kunj police station in south Delhi on Sunday alleging that she was raped by Ratan on Saturday after he had spiked her drink with a sedative.

The complainant, a first year PhD student, alleged that she had put a statement on Facebook on June this year showing interest to watch a film called 'Sairat' and asked if anyone had a copy of it.

Sairat is a 2016 Indian Marathi-language romance film.

She alleged that Anmol messaged her that he has a copy of the film.

She added that on August 20, Anmol picked her up from her hostel and took her to his hostel named Brahmputra to give her the film. Here he offered her some drink which was spiked with a sedative and then sexually assaulted her.

She also alleged that Ratan did not allow her to go back to her hostel room and threatened her.

Ratan has been booked under Sections 376 (rape) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code.

--IANS

akk/pgh/dg