In an order that could hit the #MeToo campaign in its face, the Mumbai sessions court has granted anticipatory bail to actor Alok Nath. While announcing the bail, the court observed that Vinta Nanda “did not lodge the report immediately after the alleged incident for her own benefit”. The court has also observed that “possibility cannot be ruled out that the applicant [Alok Nath] has been falsely accused in the crime”.
Nanda had accused actor Alok Nath of raping her 19 years ago. Nanda did not file a case against Nath then as she was told that since Alok Nath is a big actor, no one would believe her story. The sessions court observed that there is “no record to show that Nath had given any threat or made any promise against lodging a report”.
The court has taken into consideration the arguments made by Nath’s lawyer that there were many discrepancies in the complaint that Nanda filed. The court noted that Nanda “remembers the entire incident but she did not remember the date and month of the incident”. Therefore, the court concluded that there was a “possibility that Alok Nath was being falsely accused of the crime”.
The court also noted that the alleged sexual assault took place at Nanda’s house, therefore there had been no possibility of destroying the evidence. And now both Nanda, as well as Alok Nath, were married to their respective partners, so no useful purpose would be served by medical examination”. The court observed that Nath’s medical examination would be a “mere formality”.
Alok Nath had been granted anticipatory bail by the court on Saturday albeit with a few conditions such as, he would not visit the Nanda’s house and that he would not threaten or bribe anyone associated with the case.
Nanda had gone public with her ordeal at the peak of the #MeToo, accusing Alok Nath in a post that went viral. After this, Nath had filed a defamation suit against her. Nanda then went ahead and filed an FIR against Alok Nath, alleging rape.
