Woman sexually assaulted, blackmailed with private videos by friend in K'taka
Bengaluru (PTI): A 26-year-old woman working at a private hospital here was allegedly sexually assaulted by her male friend, who sedated her and later blackmailed her with private videos demanding sexual favours, police said on Monday.
She also accused him of humiliating her with casteist slurs, they added.
The incident came to light on Friday when the woman filed a complaint with the High Grounds police.
Based on her statement, a case was registered against the accused under sections of rape, sexual assault, criminal intimidation, and outraging the modesty of a woman.
The accused has also been charged under the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, police said.
According to her complaint, the woman alleged that she met the accused in 2019 while working at a credit card company. He befriended her and later invited her to a family function, where he offered her a drink laced with sedatives. She claimed she became unconscious after consuming the drink, after which he took her to a room, sexually assaulted her, and recorded the act.
She further alleged that he used the video to blackmail her for sexual favours. Although she changed jobs to escape his harassment, he continued to threaten her, saying he would make the video public if she did not comply.
The woman also alleged that he humiliated her with casteist slurs when she objected to his demands and instead asked him to marry her, a senior police officer said.
“Based on the complaint, we have registered a case. All allegations are being thoroughly investigated. However, since the alleged incident, as per the woman’s statement, occurred in RT Nagar, the case will be transferred to the respective jurisdiction,” the officer added.
The accused has not been arrested yet.
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Defamation case: Rahul alleges political malice; UP court sets March 9 hearing
Sultanpur (UP) (PTI): Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday appeared before an MP-MLA court in Uttar Pradesh's Sultanpur and recorded his statement in a 2018 defamation case related to his remarks against Union Home Minister Amit Shah.
Gandhi told the court of Special Judge Shubham Verma that the allegations against him were made out of political malice and with an aim of destroying his image and that of his party, the Congress leader's advocate Kashi Prasad Shukla told PTI.
The court fixed March 9 as the next date of hearing on which the Lok Sabha MP from Raebareli has been asked to furnish evidence in his defence, the lawyer said.
Elaborating about the statement given by the Congress leader in the court, his lawyer said Gandhi denied all allegations levelled against him.
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"The allegations are baseless and unfounded. I have never used derogatory words against anyone, nor have I used such language with the intention of defaming anyone. A false complaint has been filed by distorting my statement," Shukla quoted Gandhi as saying.
"The allegations have been made against me out of political malice with the aim of destroying my image and that of my party. I have never used derogatory words against anyone, nor have I used such language with the intention of defaming anyone," Gandhi told the court
As the Congress leader emerged from the court after recording his statement, party supporters raised slogans hailing him. Gandhi smiled and waved at the crowd before leaving.
Gandhi entered the Sultanpur court around 10.40 am and left after recording statements around 11.15 am.
Ahead of the court hearing, some local Congress leaders had put up posters in Sultanpur that read 'Satyamev Jayate' (truth always triumphs).
The case dates back to 2018 when local BJP leader and former chairman of the District Cooperative Bank Vijay Mishra had filed a defamation complaint against Gandhi, alleging that during the Karnataka elections in 2018, the Congress leader made derogatory remarks against the then BJP president and current Union Home Minister Shah.
Santosh Kumar Pandey, the lawyer representing Mishra, said the cross-examination of the plaintiff and two witnesses has been completed.
The trial has been underway for the past five years. In December 2023, a warrant was issued against Gandhi for non-appearance before the court. He surrendered in February 2024, following which a special magistrate granted him bail on two sureties of Rs 25,000 each.
On July 26, 2024, Gandhi recorded his statement before the court, claiming innocence and terming the case a political conspiracy. Thereafter, the court directed the complainant to produce evidence in the case.
