The Supreme Court today directed suspended MLA Raj Ballabh Yadav, accused in a rape case, to surrender before a trial court in Bihar by tomorrow, after suspending a Patna High Court order granting bail to him.
A bench, comprising justices A K Sikri and N V Ramana, suspended the High Court granting bail to Yadav and directed the trial court to record the statement of the minor rape survivor within two weeks, asking the Yadav not to interfere in the matter in any manner.
The bench posted the matter for November 23.
The apex court had earlier rejected Yadav’s plea to remain outside Bihar till the victim deposed before the trial court and favoured that the RJD legislator should remain in jail till the victim records her statement “fairly and without any fear”. It had said it was “more concerned” about the safety of the prosecutrix.
The apex court had on October 18 directed the trial court not to record the testimony of the victim till October 24 after the state government submitted that she felt threatened due to the accused being out on bail.
It had on October 7 sought the response of the legislator on a plea by the Nitish Kumar government challenging the bail granted to him by the Patna High Court.
Yadav had allegedly raped the minor girl at his residence in Biharsharif on February 6 this year. After evading arrest for a considerable time, he surrendered after a local court issue proclamation notice and an order to attach his properties for not surrendering before the police.
The Bihar Police, in its charge sheet, had also named a woman and her relatives as accused on the ground that they had been allegedly supplying women to the MLA representing Nawada Assembly constituency. The RJD had suspended Yadav from the party on February 14, a day after his arrest warrant was issued.
( Source – PTI )
