The Supreme Court on Tuesday rejected an appeal challenging the grant of bail to former Union Minister Swami Chinmayanand in a sexual exploitation case lodged by a law student.
A Bench of Justices Ashok Bhushan and Navin Sinha found no reason to “warrant interference” in the High Court decision of February 3.
“The high Court was monitoring the investigation. Police protection is being provided to the complainant in a substantial manner. Every aspect has been included in the chargesheet. Now, when charges have to be framed, law will take its course,” Justice Sinha observed orally.
The court agreed however to hear a separate plea filed by the woman and her father seeking transfer of the trial from Uttar Pradesh to a court in Delhi.
The court refused to stay the proceedings before a trial court in Uttar Pradesh. It nevertheless issued notices to the State, Chinmayanand and others on the transfer petition. They have to file their replies within a month.
Supreme Court to hear plea for transferring rape case against Chinmayanand to Delhi court
Appearing for the complainant, senior advocate Colin Gonsalves submitted that his client, a law student, was in fear of her life.
Chinmayanand is accused of sexually exploiting the complainant at a college run by his trust in Shahjahanpur in Uttar Pradesh. He was arrested on September 20 last year. He is accused of misusing his authority to “induce or seduce” the woman into sexual intercourse.
