LUCKNOW: The Special Investigation Team (SIT), probing into the charges of rape and harassment levelled against former Union minister and BJP leader Chinmayanand by a law student and a separate extortion case against the accuser, submitted the status report of the probe to the special bench of Allahabad High Court monitoring the probe on Tuesday.
The court posted the matter for next hearing on November 28.
Meanwhile, the law student who has accused Chinmayanand of rape moved her bail plea in the High Court. The student along with three of her aides is in jail in connection with a separate case of extortion and blackmailing Chinmayanand.
The court on Tuesday gave two weeks time to SIT and BJP leader Chinmayanand’s lawyer to file their objections to law student’s bail plea.
While the former Union minister has been booked under the Indian Penal Code’s section 376C, a charge short of rape, the law student and three others face charges of extortion and blackmailing.
The SIT of the Uttar Pradesh Police has been probing the parallel cases. Seeking bail for her, the law students’ counsel argued that she was a victim of sexual harassment and all allegations against her were fabricated.
However, counsel for the state government and Swami Chinmayanand opposed the bail plea, arguing that she was the main accused in the extortion case and there was sufficient evidence to prove it. They sought more time to file a counter-affidavit. Justice Siddharth fixed November 6 as next date of hearing.
Meanwhile, the bench of Justices Manoj Mishra and Pankaj Bhatia directed that the SIT to submit the forensic report in the rape and harassment case by November 28 if it has received it. The forensic report is mainly required to match voices heard in the video clips with those involved in the case.