Guj court denies advance bail to village sarpanch in rape case

A local court today rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the sarpanch of Sundariyana village in Botad district in a rape case.
The 23-year-old victim had earlier been denied permission to abort the child.
Besides refusing anticipatory bail to Mayur Rathod, Additional Sessions Judge K R Rabari also dismissed bail applications of two jailed accused -- Ismail Dafer and Alam Dafer.
Six persons have been arrested in the case. Rathod is accused of helping and sheltering them and illegally detaining and threatening the victim at his house.
Prosecutor Pravin Trivedi opposed the bail pleas saying the victim and her family would not be safe if the accused were allowed to roam freely.

The victim also opposed Rathod's bail plea stating that he was an influential person and she feared harm from him. She will have to leave the village if the accused got bail, she said.

Earlier in April, the victim's application seeking to terminate her 28-week-old pregnancy was rejected by the High Court because abortion is not permitted after 20 weeks under the law.
The woman gave birth to a baby boy who is now in the custody of the district collector.
According to the woman, she was abducted and raped by seven men at different places during an eight-month period.

The police have also conducted DNA test to ascertain the paternity of the child and to obtain evidence for trial.