• NET Web Desk

The Itanagar Bench of Gauhati High Court (HC) has granted interim anticipatory bail to the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator from Arunachal Pradesh – Lokam Tassar, in connection with a rape case.

The woman had lodged a complaint with the Itanagar Women’s Police Station on July 12, accusing the MLA of sexually abusing her.

The interim bail was granted to the MLA from Koloriang Constituency on Tuesday, based on a bail bond of Rs 50,000. Besides, the next hearing of the case has been listed for August 22.

The court has also asked for an up-to-date case diary on the same date.

Furthermore, the interim anticipatory bail was granted on the basis of statements of witnesses, and details of the conversation between the accused and the woman, and the disclosure by the investigating officer of the case that only the statement of the accused was left to be recorded.

The case diary and the alleged voice record of the conversation between the accused and the complainant were produced in the court.

During the hearing, the counsel for the accused submitted that in the case diary, the investigating officer clearly indicates that there is no prima facie case against the accused at this stage.

The lawyer of the accused argued that the MLA and the woman had consensual sex and since the former had not given Rs 50,000 demanded by the latter, she had filed a false allegation against the accused.

The public prosecutor objected to the bail petition, citing that the investigation is still on and the case is pending as the statement of the accused, who was evading arrest, was yet to be recorded.

Recently, the anticipatory bail plea of Arunachal Pradesh’s Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) legislator – Lokam Tassar, who is charged with raping a pregnant lady, was denied by a sessions court at Yupia near Itanagar.