- Home
- /
- High Courts
- /
- Allahabad High Court
- /
- Allahabad High Court Refuses...
Allahabad High Court Refuses Anticipatory Bail To Sitapur Congress MP Accused Of Sexually Exploiting Woman
Sparsh Upadhyay
29 Jan 2025 3:21 PM
The Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) today refused the anticipatory bail plea filed by Congress's Member of Parliament from Sitapur Lok Sabha constituency, Rakesh Rathore, in connection with an FIR against him over allegations of sexually exploiting a 35-year-old woman.However, a bench of Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan disposed of his plea at the admission stage, giving him the liberty...
The Allahabad High Court (Lucknow Bench) today refused the anticipatory bail plea filed by Congress's Member of Parliament from Sitapur Lok Sabha constituency, Rakesh Rathore, in connection with an FIR against him over allegations of sexually exploiting a 35-year-old woman.
However, a bench of Justice Rajesh Singh Chauhan disposed of his plea at the admission stage, giving him the liberty to appear/surrender before the trial Court within two weeks and file his regular bail application, taking all pleas and grounds available to him.
The court further directed that if he files such an application, the same may finally be heard and disposed of with expedition by speaking and reasoned order without giving any unnecessary adjournment to any parties.
Rathore, against whom a UP court issued an arrest warrant on Monday, had moved the High Court seeking relief.
Earlier, he had failed to appear before the Court despite being served with a police notice directing him to present himself by January 23 for recording his statement in the case. On the 23rd, a Special MP/MLA Court dismissed his anticipatory bail plea.
For context, Rathore, booked under Sections 64, 351(3) and 127(2) BNS, has been accused of subjecting the victim to sexual assault while promising to marry her and help her in her political career.
Before the court, his counsels contended that the FIR contained fabricated allegations, which was evident from the fact that the woman had approached the police with a delay of around four years.
On the other hand, the counsel for the informant/prosecutrix submitted that the prosecutrix could not lodge an FIR instantly because she was apprehended and would be defamed if she lodged the FIR promptly.
It was her further submission that when his husband and his family members came to know about the applicant's illegal act, she recently launched the impugned FIR.
It was lastly contended that the prosecutrix would be able to convince the learned trial Court that she had been subjected to rape by the applicant.
Against this backdrop, the court disposed of the plea by granting him the liberty to move to the trial court.
Case title - Rakesh Rathor vs. The State Of U.P. Thru. Thr Prin. Secy. Home Deptt. And Another 2025 LiveLaw (AB) 44
Case Citation: 2025 LiveLaw (AB) 44