Gujarat: Court rejects bail plea of woman accused of honey-trapping BJP MP

New Delhi: A special court on Wednesday dismissed the bail plea of a woman lawyer, accused of honey-trapping and blackmailing BJP MP from Gujarat, K C Patel.

"Considering the facts and circumstances, I do not deem it fit to grant bail to the accused (woman) at this stage and the application is accordingly rejected," Special Judge Hemani Malhotra said.

The court noted that the woman had earlier too lodged three FIRs against other persons for alleged offences of rape, molestation and criminal intimidation in which she had later
either turned hostile or had resiled in her statement recorded before a magistrate.

The woman, who is in judicial custody till May 26, had sought bail on the ground that she was a victim of rape and since the complainant MP was an influential person, he had lodged the FIR against her to avoid any action.

The woman's counsel claimed she was practicing as a lawyer in the Supreme Court. He also alleged that the MP had promised to introduce her to top BJP leaders but had failed to do so and repeatedly raped her. When she realised his intentions, she made a video, he claimed.

The bail plea was vehemently opposed by public prosecutor Atul Shrivastava, who said the woman was a habitual complainant who after ensnarling influential persons in her
honey-trap has been extorting money by filing complaints of sexual harassment against them.

He contended that after extorting money, she used to turn hostile in the matters. He also alleged that her modus operandi was to prepare videos of her victims through hidden
cameras with the help of one Ajay Pal, a co-conspirator who is yet to be arrested.

Shrivastava said the woman should not be released on bail as the prosecution has to unearth the entire conspiracy and her voice sample was yet to be taken.

On the woman's claim that she had given a complaint at North Avenue Police Station against the MP but no action was taken, the court said the document in the police file revealed that it was the accused who had insisted to keep her complaint pending and also said that her medical examination would be conducted the nexy day.

"However, she did not come (to police) the next day and therefore, neither her medical examination could be conducted, nor her statement before a magistrate could be recorded," the court noted.

It said the airline boarding pass of the MP annexed in the police file showed that he was travelling to Surat in Gujarat on March 3 and had attended an official function there
which was also reported in the media.

The woman was arrested on May 2 by the Delhi Police from her Ghaziabad house.

Patel, the MP from Valsad in Gujarat, had filed a police complaint alleging that he was drugged by the woman at her Ghaziabad house, who had then shot obscene videos and photographs.