The Delhi High Court on Thursday extended till November 17 the time granted to a 51-year-old lawyer to surrender in a rape case filed against him by a woman advocate.
Justice Amit Mahajan had earlier, on November 7, cancelled the lawyer’s pre-arrest bail and directed him to surrender within a week. The court reiterated that the accused must not contact the complainant and said that if he does, Delhi Police is free to take appropriate action.
During Thursday’s hearing, counsel for the accused sought a one-week extension, stating that they had filed an appeal before the Supreme Court challenging the bail cancellation order, and that the matter was likely to be mentioned for listing on Monday.
Allowing limited relief, the High Court extended the surrender deadline only till November 17.
Last week, the High Court cancelled the accused’s anticipatory bail, holding that one of the core reasons was interference with the process of law.
In the same proceedings, the court also ordered an administrative inquiry against two judicial officers accused of attempting to coerce the woman advocate to retract her allegations.
The court said it was “appalled” by the alleged involvement of judicial officers in a matter of this nature, observing that even though the allegations required further investigation, they indicated a “flagrant lack of respect towards the criminal justice machinery”.
According to her complaint, the 27-year-old woman lawyer said she met the accused through a friend and later visited his house for a party, where he allegedly raped her. She stated that the lawyer, a widower, promised to marry her and continued to have sexual relations with her by emotionally manipulating her. She became pregnant in May this year.
She further alleged that the accused maintained “cordial relationships” with certain judicial officers who attempted to influence her before and after the FIR was registered.
The woman’s counsel told the court that after the FIR was filed, a judicial officer contacted her and advised her not to undergo a medical examination.
It was also claimed that the officer offered a monetary settlement and informed her that a sum of Rs 30 lakh had been kept ready for her. The counsel added that she was pressured to dilute her statement and assured that further compensation would be provided if she agreed to compromise.
The High Court’s administrative inquiry against the two judicial officers remains ongoing. The criminal investigation into the rape allegations is also continuing.
The matter will now proceed before the trial court once the accused surrenders by November 17.
