SC rejects plea against HC order granting anticipatory bail to journalist

The Supreme Court on Friday dismissed a plea challenging the Delhi High Court order granting anticipatory bail to a Mumbai-based journalist in a rape case lodged against him by a 22-year-old woman.

We find no reason to interfere. The special leave petition is dismissed, said a vacation bench of Justices Navin Sinha and Ajay Rastogi while rejecting the plea filed by the complainant.

The high court had on May 13 granted anticipatory bail to journalist Varun Hiremath in the case.

The complainant has alleged that she was raped by the accused at a five-star hotel in Chanakyapuri on February 20.

Hiremath had approached the high court after his anticipatory bail plea was dismissed by a trial court here on March 12.

On the basis of the woman's complaint, an FIR under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 376 (punishment for rape), 342 (punishment for wrongful confinement) and 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman) was registered at the Chanakyapuri Police Station here.