Kerala - Kochi   

Directive to complete probe in rape case

Staff Reporter

Kochi: The Kerala High Court on Monday directed the investigation officer probing the case relating to the ragging and rape of a student at a nursing school in Kottayam to complete the investigation as expeditiously as possible and file the final report.

Justice K. Padmanabhan Nair issued the direction while dismissing a bail petition filed by the first accused in the case, Ranjith Varghese of Kollam.

When the case came up for hearing, the public prosecutor submitted that the investigation was almost over and the final report would be filed within 10 days. Dismissing the bail plea of the accused, the Court said that a perusal of the case diary showed that in case bail was granted, the petitioner and other accused would threaten the witnesses. The Court also observed that considering the heinous nature in which the girl was subjected to torture and rape in a temple of learning, it was not just and proper to grant bail to the accused.

The prosecution case was that the 17-year-old girl who joined the first-year nursing course conducted by the School of Medical Education, Kottayam, was stopped by the accused and other senior students at 4 p.m. on October 21, 2005 on the second floor of the institute. After ragging, she was taken to the histopathology lab on the same floor where she was drugged and stripped. Later, the petitioner and the second accused committed rape on her. The petitioner and other accused had threatened her that if she disclosed the incidents to anybody, her body would be mutilated by pouring acid on her.

The girl was unable to continue her studies. According to the prosecution, the victim had to be given psychiatric counselling. The prosecution contended that if bail were granted, they would threaten the witnesses.

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