Rape case takes dramatic turn; victim not sexually assualted

Chennai, Feb 25 (UNI) The case relating to the alleged gang rape of a convict's wife by Vellore central prison staff, took a dramatic turn with the medical report suggesting that the ''victim'' was a virgin and not sexually assaulted.

Ganesan, a convict lodged in Vellore Central Prison, moved the Madras High Court with a writ of Habeas Corpus, stating that his wife Nadhiya was gang raped by four prison staff and was missing since November last.

Based on the petition, the court had directed the police to conduct a detailed enquiry into the incident and file a report.

Meanwhile, police traced Nadhiya in Tirupur and produced her before the court on February 22, where she surprised the court by saying that she was a spinster and not married to Ganesan.

When the case came up for hearing today, a division bench comprising Mr Justice P D Dinakaran and Mr Justice R Reghupathi was told that Nadhiya, according to the medical report was a virgin and was not sexually assulated.

After going through the medical report, the bench took serious exception to the ''bogus complaint'' lodged by the convict and directed the police to inquire as what prompted Ganesan to file the complaint.

The Bench also came down heavily on lawyers who represented the convict without going into the veracity of the case and wanted to impose fine both on the advocates who took up the case and the convict.

If the complaint was found bogus, police should register a case against Ganesan and prosecute, the Bench said and suggested that the Rs 10 lakh compensation sought by the petitioner should be imposed as fine on him, the bench said.

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