MP honeytrap case: Court denies bail to woman

New Delhi: A woman, accused of organising a honeytrap and blackmailing BJP MP K C Patel, has been denied bail by a special court which said she had adopted “ingenious modus operandi” to trap public personalities and extort money.

The court also dismissed the bail plea of businessman Ajay Kumar alias Ajay Pal Chauhan, who along with the 40- year-old woman, is lodged in judicial custody saying they were “partners in crime”.

Special Judge Hemani Malhotra said the material prima facie suggested that the woman adopted this “ingenious modus operandi to trap public personalities by accusing them of rape/molestation and then extort money from them”.

“This kind of act is not only diabolical but also brings loss of reputation and stigma to the persons accused of rape/molestation. Such persons are repeatedly shunned by their own families and public at large, irrespective of the ultimate result.

“It is not a simple case of extortion in which case, the victim suffers pecuniary loss. The present case is an instance where the victims suffer loss of honour and fall in the eyes of society,” the court observed.

According to the prosecution, the woman had allegedly filmed obscene videos of the Gujarat’s Valsad MP after drugging him and threatened to make them public if she was not paid Rs seven crore. Chauhan had allegedly helped the woman in executing the offence.

The court considered the gravity of offence and dismissed the bail pleas, saying they did not deserve any leniency.

“On the basis of the admitted fact that accused Ajay Kumar alias Ajay Pal had made payment for installing hidden cameras in the flat of accused woman and the call detail records, it prima facie appears that both the accused persons were in conspiracy with each other and were partners in crime,” the court said.

It was also informed by the investigating officer that a supplementary charge sheet would be filed in the case as the probe is on.

“In view thereof, matter be renotified for filing of supplementary charge sheet, consideration of charge sheet and for scrutiny of documents on September 16,” the court said.

The woman had sought bail on the ground that she was a victim and had been falsely implicated by the complainant to circumvent legal action for the alleged offence of rape against him.

Chauhan’s counsel argued that there was no material on record to suggest that he was in conspiracy with the woman in commission of the offence relating to taking gratification by corrupt means by influencing public servants.

Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava opposed their bail pleas saying that to extort money, the woman used to ensnare politicians and people in public life. It also noted that she had earlier too lodged several FIRs in which she had either turned hostile or resiled from her statements.

The prosecutor opposed Chauhan’s bail plea saying it was this accused who had made the payment for installation of hidden cameras in the flat of the accused woman which established the conspiracy between them.

Police had earlier filed a charge sheet against the woman, Chauhan and Mitrapal for alleged offences of extortion, criminal conspiracy, taking gratification by corrupt or illegal means to influence a public servant and other charges under the IPC and the Prevention of Corruption Act.

While the woman and Chauhan are in judicial custody, Mitrapal has not yet been arrested.

The woman was arrested on May 2 by Delhi Police from her Ghaziabad residence. Chauhan was arrested on June 9 from Connaught Place here on the basis of a tip-off received by the police.

Patel had filed a complaint alleging that he was drugged by the woman at her Ghaziabad house and obscene videos and photographs of him were taken by her.