Rape witness fears for life

That the NCR is unsafe for women is a well-known fact. What’s less known is how hard it is to get rapists punished.

That the NCR is unsafe for women is a well-known fact. What’s less known is how hard it is to get rapists punished.

HT Image

Here’s just one example. Almost two years after an MBA student was kidnapped from outside the Great India Place Mall in Noida and raped by 11 men, the trial is in jeopardy. The victim has been forced to leave the country due to threats from the accused, all out on bail. Her friend Anand, the sole eyewitness, had identified some of the alleged rapists on October 21. But after receiving threats from them, he too has refused to appear before the trial court.

According to his lawyer Arvind Gupta, Anand informed the Allahabad High Court chief justice, the trial judge and the Noida police of the threats. The trial court on November 11 ordered the police to provide him protection but he is yet to get it, Gupta said. Anand has now moved Supreme Court, seeking transfer of the case to Delhi. He claims the accused are influential and live close to the trial court.

“The petitioner, despite being a male and the son of a police officer, is being threatened. The victim cannot even think of deposing in the Noida court,” Gupta told HT.

The case is likely to come up for hearing on December 6.