Guwahati, Aug 23: Gauhati High Court has granted bail to the prime accused in the IIT-Guwahati rape case last March, sighting both the youth — accused and victim — are “state’s future assets”

The accused, a 21-year-old B.Tech pre-final year student in Chemical Engineering, had allegedly made the victim, a 19-year-old- girl from second-year of the same institute, unconscious by administering alcohol forcibly and sexually assaulting her.

The single-judge bench of Justice Ajit Borthakur, in its March 13 judgment maintained that there are enough prima facie evidences against the accused.

“On hearing the learned counsel for both sides with reference to the relevant documents such as F.I.R., medical report and statements under Sections 161 and 164 Cr.P.C., the contents of the charge-sheet, the Fact-Finding Committee Report, etc., there is a clear prima facie case as alleged against the accused petitioner,” the court order said.

However, the court followed that “while dealing with a bail application, the Court is not called upon to discuss the merits or demerits of the evidence available against the accused, but some reasons for prima facie concluding while bail is being granted need to be indicated in brief.”

A fierce exchange of words were also witnessed in the Court between the bail applicant advocate KN Choudhury and advocate S Sarma appearing on behalf of the victim.

The Court, however, observed: “Investigation in the case is completed and both the informant/victim girl and the accused are the state’s future assets being talented students pursuing technical courses at the I.I.T., Guwahati, who are young in the age group of 19 to 21 years only and further, they are being hailed from two different states, continuation of detention of the accused in the interest of trial of the case, if charges are framed, may not be necessary.”

Hence, the Court has granted him bail under a bond of Rs 30,000 to be paid and on condition that he may not leave Kamrup district without informing the Judicial Magistrate.

In a similar incident that took place few years back in February 2017, two students of IIT-G were arrested for allegedly raping three girls of Gauhati University by lacing their drinks with drugs during ‘Alcheringa’, the institute’s annual cultural festival.

A case (53/21) under section 376 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) was registered at Amingaon police station against the students.