Chinmayanand case: SC asks UP govt to produce harassed woman before it on Friday itself
New Delhi: The Supreme Court Friday asked the Uttar Pradesh government to produce before it during the day the woman law student who had gone missing after levelling harassment allegations against former Union minister and BJP leader Swami Chinmayanand, and was found in Rajasthan.
The apex court was informed by the counsel appearing for the state government that she was found in Rajasthan on Friday and was being taken to Shahjahanpur to meet her parents.
After a bench of justices R Banumathi and A S Bopanna asked the state's counsel to apprise it as to when the woman can be produced before the court, the lawyer said that she, along with the police team, is enroute to Shahjahanpur and has reached Fatehpur Sikri.
The counsel said that if the court asks the authorities to produce the woman before it on Friday itself, she can be brought within two-and-a-half hours.
After hearing the submissions, the court directed the state government to produce the woman before it during the day. The bench said it would interact with the woman in-camera and the bench will assemble after that to pass appropriate orders. The top court had taken cognisance on its own in the matter after a group of lawyers had written a letter to Chief Justice of India Ranjan Gogoi requesting him to do so.
The Shahjahanpur police had on Tuesday lodged an FIR against Chinmayanand after the student went missing following her allegation in a video clip that he had been harassing her.
The woman also spoke about threat to her and her family's life in the video clip.
Her father had filed a complaint with police accusing Chinmayanand of sexually harassing her, a charge refuted by the BJP leader's lawyer who claimed it was a "conspiracy" to blackmail him.
The woman's father had alleged that she went missing at the behest of the 72-year-old BJP leader, who heads Mumukshu ashram. She is a post-graduate student in one of the colleges run by the ashram.
The group of lawyers, in a letter addressed to CJI Gogoi, had requested him to take suo motu action based on media reports that the student had gone missing for the past three days.
"Your lordships, we the undersigned members of the legal fraternity and practising lawyers of this court are extremely disturbed and concerned about the wellbeing of the girl concerned. We as a society cannot allow another 'Unnao case' to happen. This court has been interfering in letter petitions when it comes to protection of human rights," the letter said.
In the Unnao case of Uttar Pradesh, a 19-year-old woman, who levelled rape allegations against MLA Kuldeep Singh Sengar, had suffered critical injuries in a road accident, along with her lawyer in Raebareli district in Uttar Pradesh on July 28.
Her two aunts died in the incident and her family alleged that the accident was an attempt to eliminate her.
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CPI(M) rebel Kunhikrishnan hopes for 5,000-vote win in Payyanur
Kannur (Kerala) (PTI): CPI(M) rebel candidate V Kunhikrishnan, who contested as a UDF-backed Independent from Payyanur here, on Saturday said he was hoping to win the Assembly election by a margin of 5,000 votes.
Kunhikrishnan was expelled from the CPI(M) earlier this year after raising allegations of corruption in the party’s martyrs’ fund against sitting MLA T I Madhusoodanan.
Speaking to a TV channel, Kunhikrishnan said he had announced his candidature as a mark of protest and not with expectations of victory.
However, he said the situation had changed drastically, with a strong undercurrent within CPI(M) votes favouring him.
"The undercurrent in CPI(M) votes cannot be measured. Now people are giving a response indicating victory with a margin of at least 5,000 votes," he said.
Payyanur is considered a CPI(M) stronghold, and a defeat for Madhusoodanan there would be a major setback for the party.
On political violence in Payyanur, Kunhikrishnan said he had been facing it since filing his nomination.
"The people leading this violence should think about how long they can continue it. It is the police which has to take the initiative to stop this violence as part of maintaining law and order. But the police are not intervening at the required level," he said.
Regarding his political future, Kunhikrishnan said efforts were underway to strengthen Left groups, and discussions were being held across Kerala in that regard.
"After discussing with others, a decision will be taken," he said.
Kunhikrishnan is among six former CPI(M) leaders who either exited the party or were suspended before contesting for the UDF in the April 9 Assembly elections.
Elections to the 140-seat Kerala Assembly were held on April 9, and the counting of votes will be held on May 4.
