IIT-BHU Gang Rape: Allahabad HC Grants Bail To 2 Accused; Third Suspect's Fate Awaited

The Allahabad High Court has granted conditional bail to Kunal Pandey and Anand Chauhan, who were accused of gang-raping a B.Tech student from the Indian Institute of Technology (Banaras Hindu University) in Varanasi, as reported by Dainik Jagran.

The two men were released after spending seven months in jail following their arrest in January 2024.

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IIT-BHU Gang Rape: Allahabad HC Grants Bail

Kunal Pandey was released on August 24, while Anand Chauhan was released on August 29. Upon his return to his home in Nagwa Colony, Anand was reportedly welcomed with garlands by his neighbors. Both Kunal and Anand's houses are located next to each other, according to reports by Dainik Jagran.

The court, however, did not approve the bail application for the third accused, Saksham Patel, whose case is scheduled for review on September 14, 2024.

The incident occurred on November 2, 2023, when the 20-year-old student was allegedly attacked by the three men while she was out with a friend near the Karman Baba temple. The victim was reportedly abducted, stripped, and sexually assaulted on the IIT-BHU campus in Varanasi.

The three accused had reportedly confessed to the crime, including disrobing and filming the victim at gunpoint, as revealed by police sources on December 31, 2023. Following the confession, Kunal Pandey, Anand Chauhan (also known as Abhishek Chauhan), and Saksham Patel were taken into police custody. The police also seized motorcycles, mobile phones, and other electronic evidence.

Kunal and Saksham are members of the BJP IT cell. According to Deputy Commissioner of Police R.S. Gautham, the accused were charged under the National Security Act, the UP Gangsters Act, and the Anti-Social Activities Prevention Act.