The lawyer of senior IPS officer Sunil Paraskar today denied the allegations of rape levelled against his client by a Mumbai-based model, picking holes in her version of the events.
Advocate Rizwan Merchant, Paraskar's lawyer, argued before special judge Vrushali Joshi that the first alleged incident of molestation had happened on December 1 last year and on December 7 she was allegedly raped but she did not go to the police then, though there was an opportunity. "The victim claims she was molested on December 1 and then she was raped after a week. Even after the incident of rape, she went back with Paraskar. Is it not a consensual act?" he said.
In her earlier statement she did not give the date of the alleged incident and it was given only in supplementary statement. "There is a spoon-feeding by the investigating team," advocate Merchant alleged. Further, he argued that on December 7, the victim had met Paraskar at a mall from where they went to suburban Malad. "A week ago she was molested and still she goes to the mall to meet Paraskar," Merchant pointed out.
While going to Madh island off suburban Malad, she did not ask him where they were heading, the lawyer noted. "At Madh, the girl went into a bungalow with the man who had molested her a week ago."
Further, advocate Merchant said, as per the complaint, when Paraskar made advances towards her inside the bungalow, she did not shout for help or try to run away. "She has also said that she saw a bottle of liquor and Paraskar offered her but she refused and later he had it; wasn't it enough to get an idea what was going to happen?" After the alleged rape, both came out of the bungalow together and travelled together. "This cannot be termed as rape, is it not consensual?" Merchant contended.
READ: Rape charge against DIG Sunil Paraskar for publicity, says victim's ex-lawyer
Merchant claimed there were some photographs of Paraskar, the victim woman and some others sitting on the lawn of the bungalow and having snacks. Though the victim alleges that there were bruises on her arm, she still did not approach the police at that point. "The delay does not inspire confidence," said Paraskar's lawyer. Merchant also told the court that the victim had gifted mobile handsets, watches and perfumes to Paraskar. "Is a girl supposed to gift her rapist?" he said.
The victim had filed a case of molestation against four persons in the past, Merchant told the court.
Meanwhile, Paraskar, who has filed a pre-arrest bail application, filed an affidavit in the court saying it should be allowed. "Not granting relief will result in the complainant succeeding in her nefarious design to falsely implicate the applicant," it said.
Suburban Malwani police last month registered a case against 57-year-old Paraskar under sections 376(2)(rape by a police officer), 376 C (intercourse by superintendent of jail, remand home, etc) and 354(D) (stalking) of the Indian Penal Code. Paraskar is currently posted at Maharashtra police headquarters as Deputy Inspector General (Protection of Civil Rights Units).
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