Gang rape case: Andaman ex-chief secretary Jitendra Narain remanded to police custody

Port Blair, November 11

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Former Andaman & Nicobar Islands chief secretary Jitendra Narain was on Friday remanded to police custody till Monday, November 14, in an alleged gang-rape case filed by a 21-year-old woman against him and others.

The judgment was pronounced by the chief judicial magistrate of Port Blair after he was produced in court.

The police sought the senior IAS officer in remand to continue their probe against him and other co-accused who are yet to be apprehended in the case which has rocked the Union territory.

The police on Thursday had arrested him after his plea for anticipatory bail was rejected by a local court.

After the arrest, Narain claimed that he was the victim of a conspiracy.

A special investigation team (SIT) questioned Narain thrice in connection with the case.

The SIT was constituted to probe allegations that the 21-year-old woman in Andaman and Nicobar Islands was lured to the chief secretary’s home by promising a government job and then raped by top officials including Narain there.

The FIR was registered on October 1 when Narain was posted as the chairman and managing director of the Delhi Financial Corporation. The government suspended him on October 17 with immediate effect.

The woman claimed in the FIR that as her father and stepmother did not take care of her financial needs, she needed a job and was introduced by some people to the labour commissioner as he was close to the then chief secretary.

She also claimed that the chief secretary appointed “7,800 candidates” in various departments in the administration of the islands “on the basis of recommendation only” and without any “formal interview”.

The woman alleged that she was lured to the chief secretary’s home with the promise of a government job, and then raped there on April 14 and May 1.