INDORE: After remaining behind bars for 22 months in the honeytrap case, three women accused of blackmailing an Indore Municipal Corporation officer with intimate videos, were granted bail by Madhya Pradesh high court on Tuesday.
The Indore bench granted bail to Shweta Swapnil Jain, Shweta Vijay Jain and another woman, said to be a minor when accused of the crime, on personal bond of Rs 50,000 each and surety of equal amounts to the satisfaction of the trial court to ensure their regular appearances.
The trio was arrested for allegedly blackmailing the then IMC superintending engineer Harbhajan Singh with intimate videos and demanding Rs 2 crore and favours in getting work done in government corridors.
Justice Subodh Abhyankar was critical of Singh, saying he “started crying wolf” after he “allowed himself the luxury of their (women’s) intimate company”. “If one forsakes the virtues of high office and allows oneself to be exploited, then he is the one to be blamed for it,” the judge observed.
Without commenting on the merits of the case, Justice Abhyankar observed that the allegations levelled against the women are mostly based on electronic records, including WhatsApp chats, telephonic conversations and video clips.
The court noted that the accused have been in jail since September 2019, and trial has not even begun as charges are yet to be framed. As many as 57 witnesses have to be examined by the prosecution.
“..in the considered opinion of this court, the applicants are entitled to be released on bail as the final conclusion of the trial is likely to take sufficiently long time on account of Covid-19 as well,” Justice Abhyankar said.
While granting bail to the women, the court observed that if the applicants were found in any criminal activity henceforth, the order shall stand cancelled and the state will be free to arrest them in the present case also.
