AGRA: In a dramatic twist, the Agra Police on Wednesday arrested the so-called “victim” of a rape case along with her three lawyers for filing a false rape complaint against a youth and allegedly extorting Rs 5 lakhs from him for settling the matter. All of them have even been sent to judicial custody, said police.
The woman (28) had filed a police complaint on June 24 claiming that her acquaintance, Rahul Sikarvar (20), had invited her for celebrating his birthday at a hotel, where he mixed some intoxicant in her cold drink and allegedly raped her. She also claimed that Rahul had recorded a video and had threatened to make it public in case she told anyone about the incident. Police had registered an FIR under various IPC sections including 376 (Rape) at Haiparvat police station against the youth.
During investigation, the complaint was found to be fake and it turned out that the woman and her three lawyers — Jitendra Rajput, Nishant Kumar and Shekhar Pratap Singh - had conspired against Rahul to extort Rs 5 lakhs from him. Two other lawyers including Rahul’s lawyer Avinash Vaishya, who helped the victim's lawyer in the case, are still at large, said police.
Police said during interrogation, the woman said that out of Rs 5 lakh— her share was Rs two lakhs and the remaining amount was to be distributed among the lawyers including their fee. The amount of Rs 3.75 lakh was recovered from their possession, while the remaining amount had already been spent by them, said police.
Station house officer of Hariparwat police station, Arvind Kumar, told TOI that the woman and three lawyers were booked under IPC Sections 195 (Giving or fabricating false evidence with intent to procure conviction of offence punishable with imprisonment for life or imprisonment), 384 (extortion), 385 (Putting person in fear of injury in order to commit extortion) and 420 (cheating).
