SC sets aside Rajasthan High Court order in rape case against MLA's son

The Supreme Court has set aside a Rajasthan High Court order which granted bail to a rape accused, who is the son of a sitting MLA, and asked him to surrender within two weeks.

The top court noted that the accused Deepak is the son of MLA Johari Lal and could influence the witnesses.

"The fact that accused Deepak is the son of sitting MLA would disclose the domineering influence he would wield not only in delaying the proceedings but also in pressurizing the witnesses to either resile from their statement given during the course of investigation, or pose a threat to them from deposing against accused on their failure to act according to his dictates, or induce them to testify as per his dictates or to help the defence of the accused," the Supreme court noted.

The top court was hearing an appeal challenging an order dated April 6 passed by a single judge of the High Court of Rajasthan. The court had given bail to the accused. 

A 15-year-old girl was allegedly gang-raped by three persons in Mandawar in Rajasthan's Dausa district. The FIR was registered in March 2022 alleging gang rape, threat of making video of the crime viral besides extortion.

The accused were booked under provisions of the POCSO Act and Section 66D of the Information Technology Act.