0
0
Srinagar, Sep 13 (UNI) Days after an Indian Air Force Wing Commander was booked for rape by J&K police on a woman officer’s complaint, the High Court of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh has granted pre-arrest bail to the officer.
The accused Wing Commander posted at Air Force Station, Srinagar, had moved High Court seeking bail in anticipation of the arrest.
“It is directed that in the event of arrest of the petitioner…for commission of offence Section 376(2) IPC registered with Police Station Budgam, he be released on bail,” the High Court said in its order.
The court also permitted the investigation to continue, however, “directed that the charge sheet shall not filed without permission of this Court.”
The High Court said “prima facie case for indulgence is made out at this stage”, “in case of his arrest his reputation as well as the service career shall be jeopardized.”
The High Court while granting the pre-arrest bail instructed that the officer must not contact any prosecution witnesses, either directly or indirectly, and that he must appear before the Investigating Officer from September 14 to 16, between 10 A.M. and 2 P.M., and thereafter as required.
The court also imposed certain conditions. The officer was required to furnish “two solvent sureties of Rs. 50,000 each, to the satisfaction of the Investigating Officer, along with a personal bond of the same amount.” Additionally, the officer was prohibited from leaving Jammu and Kashmir without permission from his Commanding Officer.
A Wing Commander of the IAF, posted at Air Force Station, Srinagar, was booked for rape on September 8 following allegations of sexual assault against him by a woman officer also posted at the same station.
The FIR was filed at the Budgam police station under Section 376 (2) (rape by a person in a position authority) of the Indian Penal Code as the alleged incident took place on the night of December 31, 2023, during a new year’s party at Air Force Station, Srinagar.
The woman officer has also alleged “continuous harassment, sexual assault, and mental torture” that she has been subjected to over the last nine months, primarily by officers at the Air Force Station, Srinagar.
Representational Image
