Delhi HC Grants Anticipatory Bail to Mumbai Based Journalist Varun Hiremath in Rape Case

Mumbai based Journalist Varun Hiremath gets anticipatory bail in a rape case filed against him by a Pune based woman

Earlier, this year in February a case was registered against the journalist by a Pune based model accusing him under the following sections of IPC. 

Section 376- Punishment for the offence of rape 

Section 342- Punishment for wrongful confinement

Section 509 - word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman

Journalist claims that he is being falsely implicated

The woman in question had met Hiremath in a cafe in Delhi in 2017. She agreed to go to a 5-star hotel with him in the Chanakya Puri area where the alleged incident of rape and sexual assault took place. However, the accused journalist in his defence has claimed that whatever happened inside the hotel room happened with consent of the women.

Lower Court had dismissed his anticipatory bail application

In March this year, the Fast track Patiala House Court had denied Mr Hiremath anticipatory bail holding the previous relationship between the parties immaterial. The lower court had held that consent for sex cannot be implied merely by agreeing to go into a hotel room with the accused. However, the accused got some relief last month when the High Court granted him interim protection subject to his joining the investigation.