New Delhi/ TIA
The Supreme Court today put on hold the deposition of a minor girl who was allegedly raped by Rashtriya Janata Dal lawmaker, Rajballav Yadav till October 24 as accused MLA sought more time to file his reply to the plea for the cancellation of his bail.
The rape victim was to depose before the trial court on Wednesday.
The bench of Justice A.K. Sikri and Justice N.V. Ramana had on October 7 sought Rajballav Yadav reply to Bihar government’s plea seeking cancellation of his bail granted to him by the Patna High Court.
The bench gave time to Rajballav Yadav after his counsel said that notice was served on his client on Monday (Oct. 17) only.
The deposition by rape victim, that was slated for Wednesday, was sought to deferred by the Bihar government counsel Gopal Singh on the grounds that victim was too scared of the accused lawmaker.
The top court had on October 7 declined to stay, the Patna High Court’s order granting him bail, saying it could not do so without hearing the accused Rajballav Yadav.
Rajballav Yadav, the MLA from Nawada, was accused of raping a school-going girl at his residence in Bihar Sharif in February this year.
He was suspended from the party after the incident surfaced. However, he continues to be an RJD lawmaker in the state assembly.
Yadav, who was denied anticipatory bail by a local court in Bihar Sharif in February, was absconding but surrendered in court in March. He was granted bail by the High Court on September 30.
He was named one of the five accused in the charge sheet filed in April.
Besides Yadav, the charge sheet named Sulekha Devi and others who were accused of supplying girls to the RJD lawmaker.