Supreme Court upholds anticipatory bail granted to former Andaman Chief Secretary Jitendra Narain in gang-rape case

The Supreme Court on Friday refused to interfere with a Calcutta High Court order granting anticipatory bail to former Andaman and Nicobar Islands Chief Secretary Jitendra Narain in connection with a gang-rape case. (State through SHO v. Jitendra Narain).A Bench of Justices S Ravindra Bhat and Krishna Murari noted that the interests of justice would be met if the accused were to approach the concerned sessions court for extension of anticipatory bail."Let the party approach sessions court on November 9 and let the matter be decided by November 11," the Court ordered..At today's hearing, Advocate Rajat Nair, appearing for the Andaman & Nicobar administration, stated that there was tampering of CCTV footage. Appearing for Narain, Senior Advocate Mukul Rohatgi said that his client was carrying out official work in Delhi at the time of the alleged offence. Rohatgi added that he had an unblemished career, and the developments occurred only because he had terminated the services of an an employee.Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also appeared for the Union Territory of Andaman & Nicobar Islands..After a woman accused Narain of rape and sexual abuse, the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) placed him under suspension and initiated disciplinary proceedings against him. The allegations include having sexual intercourse with the prosecutrix on two occasions without her consent. A first information report (FIR) was registered against him on October 1.Narain’s counsel had told the Delhi High Court last month that the FIR against his client was registered on the basis of a complaint by the daughter-in-law of a person who was removed from service after Narain passed an order imposing a minor penalty on him.It was also stated that on the dates of the alleged incident, he was not in Andaman and Nicobar Islands, but in Delhi, and therefore, the complaint is motivated..The Delhi High Court had allowed Narain's plea for transit bail after a raid was conducted at his house by a joint team of police officers of the Union Territory and the Delhi Police.The Calcutta High Court Circuit Bench at Port Blair had in the last week of October directed the IAS officer to appear before the Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating the case. The order was passed in a plea filed by Narain seeking extension of the anticipatory bail earlier granted to him, which would end on October 28.The Union Territory's administration had moved the present plea before the Supreme Court challenging the same..[Follow our coverage of today's hearing]