A new development recently took place in the 2019 Karan Oberoi rape case. According to reports, Mumbai sessions court refused to stay the legal proceedings against Pooja Bedi and seven others in their alleged involvement in the disclosure of a rape survivor’s identity. Apart from Pooja Bedi, the proceedings were against several celebrities including Anveshi Jain, Chaitanya Bhosle, Varkay Patani, Gurbani Oberoi, Sherrin Verghase, actor Sudhanshu Pandey, and advocate Dinesh Tiwari.
About The Case:
According to Times Of India, a woman, who claimed to be an astrologer, filed an FIR against Karan Oberoi and alleged him of rape and extortion. Later on May 5, 2019, Karan was arrested and was granted a bail by Bombai High Court after a month. The woman filed a second FIR on May 25, 2019, for assault and threat to withdraw rape complaint.
However, the police reportedly TOI, “We have arrested the woman based on technical evidence and also the confession statements of the four youths and her ex-lawyer… We are collecting more evidence. The woman has been booked under the Indian Penal Code sections for 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), 182 (false information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person) and 203 (giving false information).”
On June 7, 2019, Bombay High Court was informed that second FIR lodged on May 25, is found to be false. Justice Mohite-Dere had observed in her order of bail to Oberoi, “In fact, investigation reveals that the complainant herself staged her own attack, the obvious reason being to ensure that the applicant (Oberoi) is not released on bail.”
Latest Development:
Mumbai sessions court reportedly refused to stay the legal proceedings against Pooja Bedi and seven others in their alleged involvement in the disclosure of a rape survivor’s identity. During a press conference in 2019, the accused allegedly disclosed sensitive information about the victim and this could potentially amount to a violation of Section 228A of the Indian Penal Code.
As per reports by Free Press Journal, the court said, “Even if one or more individuals took the name of the victim involved in the rape case, all will be held liable as per the complainant’s allegations of common intention among the applicants to commit the offense. The applicants’ argument that there was no mens rea to disclose the identity of the victim and the allegations are general are defenses that can be addressed during the trial.”
The report added, “There is sufficient material against the group to suggest that, in furtherance of common intention, they disclosed the identity of the victim/complainant in connection with a sexual offense, violating Section 228A IPC (disclosure of identity of the victim of certain offenses), which prohibits the publication or disclosure of the identity of a victim of a sexual offense.”
Also Read: Saif Ali Khan Hotel Brawl Case: Mumbai Court Reissues Bailable Warrant To Malaika Arora
The press conference was reportedly held at Pooja Bedi’s house on May 5, 2019. The members of the group allegedly shared some details about the complainant and this reportedly breaches the law established to protect sexual assaults’ survivors.
