Delhi HC issues notice to LJP MP Prince Raj after plea challenging his bail in rape case

After receiving the anticipatory bail by the trial court in an alleged rape case, Lok Janshakti Party leader Prince Raj has been issued a notice by Delhi High Court on Wednesday after the complainant moved a plea challenging his bail.

Prince Raj, who is also an MP from Bihar has been asked by the court bench of Justice Yogesh Khanna to file his response and posted the matter for hearing, further on February 17. The complainant’s plea has been filed by the Advocates Sudesh Kumari Jethwa and Deven Varun, news agency ANI reported. The woman, who claims to have worked for the LJP, asserted that she was raped and molested while unconscious. Almost three months after the victim submitted a complaint with the Delhi Police, an FIR was filed on the orders of a Delhi court.

Delhi HC sends notice to LJP MP Prince Raj Paswan against his anticipatory bail in alleged rape case

On September 9, this year, Prince Raj, the president of the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) in Bihar, was arrested in the national capital for allegedly raping a former party member. On September 25, 2021, the trial court granted Prince Raj anticipatory bail.
 

While granting the politician anticipatory bail, the trial court had said,"There being no requirement of custodial interrogation of accused, absence of an entry in the visitors' registers of Western Court, New Delhi regarding the visit of the prosecutrix on the date of incident and thereafter, in the month of March 2020, the possibility of false implication being prima facie established and there being no chance of tampering with the evidence or accused fleeing from justice, application for grant of anticipatory bail is allowed."

Paswan's lawyers call rape claims hoax, alleges Honeytrap against LJP leader

The accused was also ordered to be released if he posted a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh with one surety in the same amount. The court also stipulated that LJP MP join the investigation as and when the IO requests it and that he does not intimidate, pressurise, or contact the complainant. The Delhi Police, on the other hand, had opposed the Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) MP Prince Raj Paswan's anticipatory bail appeal during the hearing. During the court hearing, the Public Prosecutor stated that he wanted custodial interrogation in order to collect the allegedly objectionable video clips claimed by the victim.

Lawyers for Paswan, on the other hand, maintained that this is a case of honey trap and extortion. Prince Raj's lawyers further claimed that the rape case against him is a hoax and that his client is innocent.

"There is no rape victim here, it's a false case.The complainant and her friend have been extorting him since 2020 and my client lodged an FIR of extortion in the Parliament Street Police Station on February 10 this year. She threatened to malign his reputation if he did not pay the extortion amount. He gave her Rs 2 lakhs but the extortion still continued. After the filing of FIR by my client, both the complainant and her friend had to take an anticipatory bail from the court," they added.

With ANI Inputs

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