The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to a 23-year-old social media influencer accused of raping a 40-year-old woman, citing the prolonged judicial delay in the case. The accused has been in custody for over nine months, and charges are yet to be framed, the court noted.
A bench comprising Justices B V Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma expressed strong observations regarding the nature of the case and questioned the basis of the charges filed by Delhi Police. The court remarked, “A single hand can’t clap. She is not a baby. The woman is 40 years old. They have gone together to Jammu. Why have you invoked Section 376?”
The justices questioned the rationale behind filing a rape charge under Section 376 of the IPC, pointing out the woman’s repeated visits to Jammu with the accused. The bench further directed that the man be produced before the trial court, where he will be granted interim bail with conditions, including not contacting the complainant or misusing his liberty.
The Supreme Court also made scathing remarks on the nature of the influencer’s profession, asking, “Who gets influenced by such people?” The accused had challenged a Delhi High Court decision that denied him bail, citing the seriousness of the allegations.
According to the complaint, the woman first came into contact with the influencer in 2021 through social media while seeking promotion for her clothing brand. Their professional relationship allegedly turned abusive, with the accused reportedly drugging and sexually assaulting the woman and later coercing her into repeated travel to Jammu, where further abuse and threats allegedly occurred.
An FIR has been registered under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rape, assault, criminal intimidation, and insulting the modesty of a woman. The case remains under investigation.