Bombay HC grants bail to I-T officer accused of raping minor

The Bombay High Court has granted bail to a 42-year-old Income Tax officer arrested earlier last month on charges of raping his minor domestic help.

A single bench presided by Justice P D Naik Friday granted bail to I-T Deputy Commissioner Virbhadran Vislawath.

The bench took note of the argument made by Vislawath's counsel, Sujay Kantawalla that the police had already questioned him and he was cooperating with the officers probing the case. Thus, further custody for interrogation was not required.

The bench, however, directed Vislawath to report to the Gamdevi police station on the first Saturday of every month till further orders, and to attend court hearings in the case.

Vislawath was arrested and remanded in police custody on September 7 this year for allegedly raping, sexually assaulting and threatening to kill his domestic help.

The alleged incident happened in February 2017 at his Peddar Road residence and the victim was 16-years-old at the time.

He was subsequently sent to judicial custody and on September 19 this year, a special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court rejected his bail plea.

He had claimed, at the time, that he was being falsely accused by the victim and her family at the behest of his wife with whom he was having a marital discord.

He had also argued that the victim had registered the police complaint a year and a half after the incident which proved that her case was not a genuine one.

Vislawath also argued before the court that the prosecution's case was "weak" and did not explain the delay in registration of the complaint.