Woman who accused Daati Maharaj of sex assault moves Delhi HC

New Delhi, Dec 24: A woman, who has accused self-styled preacher Daati Maharaj of sexually assaulting her, on Tuesday approached the Delhi High Court seeking direction to the CBI to file a status report in the case.

In the plea, the woman also asked the high court to direct the CBI, which is investigating the case, to file a supplementary charge-sheet before a trial court.

It would be listed for hearing in January when the court reopens after winter vacation.

She referred to the high court's October 3, 2018 order by which the bench had said, "Let the matter be transferred to CBI. It can file a supplementary charge sheet. CBI to submit a preliminary report in three weeks (on status of probe)."

The woman, in her plea, sought direction to the lower court to conclude the trial in a time-bound manner and to expedite the process.

She claimed that despite the court's direction, the investigation officer did not complete the probe within the time given by the HC.

In its October 2018 order, the high court had pulled up the Delhi Police for not arresting the accused and transferred the matter to the CBI.

It had said the manner in which the probe was carried out by police "casts a shadow on the investigation" as it did not arrest the accused in the case even after recording the complainant's statement before a magistrate under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC).

The CBI had earlier submitted before the high court its status report of the probe in a sealed cover.

The agency had registered a case of rape and unnatural sex against Daati on October 26, 2018.

He was later granted anticipatory bail by a trial court, which was challenged by the CBI in the high court.

A complaint was filed against Daati Madan Lal alias Daati Maharaj on June 7 last year and a First Information Report or FIR was registered on June 11, 2018. On June 22 last year, police questioned the accused, who has been charged with rape of a disciple at his ashrams in Delhi and Rajasthan.

The accused claimed that he was being framed.

The complainant has filed the case against the preacher, his three brothers and a woman at Fatehpur Beri police station in South Delhi. The case was later transferred to the crime branch.

According to the complaint, the FIR against him was registered for offences of rape, unnatural sex, molestation and common intention under the IPC.