UK woman alleges 'humiliation' in Gujarat court

A 23-year-old British woman, who was allegedly molested by a plumber last month, has written a letter to the chief justice of Gujarat High Court complaining of 'humiliation' during hearing of her case at a metropolitan court here.

The woman, in a letter written to chief justice KS Radhakrishnan yesterday, said that Sanjay Prajapati, lawyer representing the plumber, humiliated her by asking whether she smoked or consumed alcohol, her lawyer Meena Jagtap said.

The British national said that Prajapati had asked her questions, during the hearing held on Monday, in Gujarati which she could not comprehend.

She alleged that during hearing in court of magistrate NM Gundeliya she was not provided with a translator.

Even the public prosecutor in the case JS Joshi left the court during the cross examination to attend hearing in an other case, she added.

Yesterday, the woman brought her own counsel, Meenal Jagtap, in the court who also acted as a translator.

The woman, who is on a three month internship programme with a city based NGO had filed an FIR at the Satellite police station alleging that a local plumber, Pragnesh Chhatrada allegedly molested her on August 24 when he had come to her residence for completing a plumbing job.

Following the complaint, Chhatrada was arrested and chargsheeted.