Missionary school head gets bail in Jharkhand gang rape case

The Jharkhand High Court has granted bail to Father Alfonso Aind in the alleged abduction and gang rape of five women activists in Khunti district in 2018.

Allowing his bail petition on Tuesday, the court of Justice A B Singh directed Aind to deposit Rs 15,000 in the 'Martyrs Fund' set up for the families of deceased soldiers.

Aind was the head of the missionary school at Kochang village from where the women were abducted.

The bench also directed Aind not to leave Khunti district without the lower court's permission and deposit his passport in the court.

The victims, all tribals, had visited the school on June 19, 2018 to stage a play against human trafficking when they were allegedly abducted, forcibly taken to a forest about 7-8 km from the school and gang-raped at gunpoint.

Aind, against whom two FIRs were registered in connection with the heinous crime, was charged with not stopping the culprits and failing to inform the police about the incident.

He had reportedly asked the victims to accompany the criminals and told them that they would be let off after some time.