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Why was she with six men that night?

Divyesh Singh & Menaka Rao / DNA
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 3:09 IST
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Mumbai: In his anticipatory bail application, Vinamra Soni -- the sixth suspect in the Tiss rape case -- has raised doubts about the 23-year-old victim's character, asking why she was accompanying six men so late in the night.


KP Joshi, the additional sessions judge, granted Soni interim relief till Tuesday and asked him be present in court. Police are expected to file a reply on Tuesday.

"The act of the victim accompanying the accused persons who was lonely lady (sic) with six male persons in long midnight itself shows the nature of the victim and therefore, whatever would have happened might be due to willingness of the victim (sic)", read the application. Thus no offence was committed, concluded the application.

Outside the court, Soni's lawyer, ND Patil, said the victim wanted Rs2 lakh. "The complainant (victim) and Soni had a heated argument on Sunday morning (after the alleged rape) when she asked for Rs@ lakh. She did not give any reasons why she needed the money. She just said, 'give me the money now'," Patil said. Soni told her that he could arrange about Rs5,000 to Rs10,000 as he was a student living far off from his home and that Rs2 lakh was too big an amount, he said.

Patil vehemently denied the allegations of rape. "At Kundan Borgohain's flat, the complainant and accused again consumed alcohol and then went off to sleep," he said. "Soni had hugged and kissed her considering her a good friend. His intention was not bad."

Soni, according to Patil, wanted to stay away from the alleged incident. "When Harshvardhan Yadav bought the woman a contraceptive pill from a chemist shop, Soni did not enquire about it because he wanted to stay out of the incident," he said.

According to the application, the woman was unconscious and unable to attribute any specific role to the accused. "Since all the accused persons were in her company on that night (sic), she might have taken names of all the accused, including the present applicant (Soni)."

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Readers' comments:
Vivek from Mumbai, the answer to your question is simple. It has been proved that the girl was drugged. People do the most stupid things when they are drunk. Can you imagine what they would do if they were drugged? The girl may have been stupid enough to venture out with six relative strangers, but that by no means justifies her being raped.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 13:52 IST
someone sensible, earth
It is obvious from some of the cheap comments posted below that some boys have not yet become men, sensitive to crimes against women. Whether or not a woman is alone with 6 men, friends or not, doesn't give them the right to rape her. A crime is still a crime. Soni might not have actually raped her, but by not stopping it, or by raising questions on the victim's character and chastity, he is one more in a long list of Indians who still live in the dark ages.
Thursday, April 23, 2009 14:52 IST
Gurpreet, Mumbai
The title used by DNA, 'Why was she with six men that night?' is disgusting. A disgusting act by DNA.

It is not attributed as a quote to Soni's lawyer. It is also not suggested that such a question was implied in the statement made by Soni's lawyer (eg: rape suspect's lawyer questions why the victim was with six men).

The title, therefore, presents itself as a question being asked by DNA (Divyesh Singh & Menaka Rao). Shame on all of you for such disgusting insensitivity.
Thursday, April 23, 2009 14:12 IST
Kshmendra Kaul, Mumbai
OK! The victim had loose character. But that doesn't mean she can be raped. Mr Soni is so shameless to state this.
Thursday, April 23, 2009 8:07 IST
bond, Sick city
I like the way they protect the suspects in a rape case by terming the victim a "loose/bad character" or someone who was already having an active sex life. So the boys lost their senses when she was lying naked in bed?
Tuesday, April 21, 2009 19:39 IST
debanshu roy, mumbai
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