SHANIL Vs. STATE OF KERALA

JUDGEMENT

(1.) This application seeking pre-arrest bail has been preferred by the accused in Crime No.40 of 2020 of the Kasaba Police station, Kozhikode which was earlier registered as Crime No.9 of 2020 of Ambalathara Police Station. In the aforesaid crime, he is accused of having committed offence punishable under Section 376(1) of the Indian Penal Code.

(2.) This application is taken up and heard through Videoconferencing.

(3.) The informant is a lady aged 29 years and in her complaint dated 10.1.2020, she alleges that she contacted the petitioner through Facebook and started chatting with him. Their friendship grew and the petitioner is alleged to have promised that he would marry her. She says that they were in a relationship for almost 1 1/2 years. It is alleged that on 1.12.2019, the informant was asked to come to Kozhikode to purchase some clothes for their marriage. She obliged and she alleges that she was taken to a lodge by name 'Calicut Inn'. She alleges that they stayed together in the said room and by assuring that he would marry her, subjected her to penetrative sexual abuse. The petitioner also took some photographs and later started threatening her with the same. She further alleges that the petitioner obtained a sum of Rs.40,000/- and a gold chain weighing about one sovereigns and the same was not returned. Stating these allegations, a complaint was lodged and the crime was registered.