US citizen’s rape: Accused auto driver denied bail

Tribune News Service

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Chandigarh, June 7

As the three-year-old US tourist’s gang rape case awaits the Punjab and Haryana High Court nod to conduct identification parade of the accused and record the victim’s statement, both via videoconferencing, a local court has denied bail to the accused auto driver, Baldev Singh. 

While rejecting the bail plea, the court observed that the offence was a ‘grievous’ one.

Baldev has been charged with offences under Sections 328, 342, 366, 376, 392 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. His accomplice Jaswinder Singh, alias Lucky, is on the run.

The US national had come to India in January 2015 as a tourist. On April 17, 2015, she had visited the city to further go to Haridwar and Rishikesh. On the fateful night, she took an auto-rickshaw, allegedly driven by Baldev, to look for a cheap accommodation. However, Baldev took her to Kharar after calling his accomplice Jaswinder Singh, alias Lucky. The US national was allegedly raped there after being forced to drink alcohol. 

The victim, however, did not make a complaint while she was in the city and went to France, where she was working, as her passport was to expire in four days. From there, she sent an email to the Inspector General of Police of Chandigarh alleging rape and narrating the incident.

As per the information, the police had reverted to her mail and asked whether she had got a medical examination conducted to prove her claim. She replied in the affirmative and sent her medical examination report.

After Baldev’s arrest in December 2017, the police asked the victim to come to India to record her statement and identify the accused. She agreed to come in April but was asked to do so by May, so as to enable the police to file a challan in the stipulated 90-day time. 

However, the victim refused and the police thus filed an application to conduct both processes via videoconferencing. The application for the same is pending in the Punjab and Haryana High Court.