Worli rape case accused gets pre-arrest bail in assault of 21-year-old woman

24-year-old Heetik Shah granted anticipatory bail for allegedly raping a 21-year-old woman in Worli. He has denied the accusations

MUMBAI: The sessions court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to 24-year-old Heetik Shah who has been accused of raping a 21-year-old woman in Worli.

olice confiscated the collection amount of ₹1,90,500, a motorcycle used in the crime, and a smartphone from their possession, said SHO Pushparaj (AFP/representational image)

The incident occurred on January 13, when the woman met Shah, her social media friend. They, along with others, visited bars and drank alcohol. After the complainant felt drowsy Shah allegedly took her to a friend’s residence in Worli where the alleged sexual assault occurred. Shah, in his bail plea filed by advocate Subhash Jadhav, claims false implication due to delayed complaint filing.

“The complaint seems like a result of spite from the first informant. The allegations against the applicant appear to be driven by ill will, possibly to damage his reputation and seek financial gain, given his and his family’s respected status in society,” said the application.

The application also mentioned that the informant voluntarily chose the places to visit that night, asserting that neither of them were intoxicated.

Strongly denying the accusations, the informant filed an application opposing his plea, stating that the incident was premeditated and carefully planned. She explained that she couldn’t file an FIR immediately because Shah and his friends had threatened her, claiming they were from affluent and influential families.

“The intervenor, who had gone out for a night out, found herself in a nightmare scenario. The applicant messaged on Snapchat the following day, apologising and expressing regret for the events of the previous night. He attempted to convince her that the situation was regrettable and hoped they could move past it,” her application said. It added that Shah was trying to convince the intervenor that whatever happened was unfortunate.

The application also claimed that Shah and his friends had done such acts several times. “They have done these sorts of things multiple times and that roofing girls are a part of the routine and that they have gotten away with it on multiple occasions,” she submitted, adding that the incident not only affected her body but also left her mind and soul traumatised as a young 21-year-old.