Delhi Court denies bail to accused in acid attack case

New Delhi [India], August 13 : The Rohini Sessions Court of Delhi has denied bail to an accused who is the sister-in-law of the acid attack victim. Earlier, she was declared an absconder by the court for her absence for six years from the process of law.
The Court of Additional Sessions Judge Dhirendra Rana, while passing the order recently, noted that the complainant had received severe injuries during the incident and that there is permanent privation of one eye. She has also become incapacitated in speaking partially due to the incident. The matter was reported to the police without any delay and she was examined in a hospital after an hour or so of the incident.
Her statement was recorded on June 27, 2018, wherein she categorically made allegations against the present accused and described her role. It is also a matter of record that she was declared a proclaimed offender and was arrested only on February 21, 2024. The charge sheet, though filed by the investigating officer, has yet to be received by this court. The family of the complainant has contemplated threat perception and it is argued that it would be difficult to secure the presence of the applicant during trial considering her previous conduct, as noted by the Court.
Considering the facts and circumstances of this case, the previous conduct of the accused, and the injuries suffered by the complainant, the court said it was not inclined to release the accused/applicant on bail. Hence, the application for a grant of bail moved on behalf of accused Ruby is hereby dismissed.
The court further noted that the accused was never arrested by police and she has been absconding from the process since 2018.
Advocate Aditi Drall appeared for the complainant, opposed the bail plea, and argued that, as per the MLC, during the incident, the injured person was seriously injured and lost one eye forever. Due to the incident, she has also become partially speech impaired.
Advocate Aditi Drall further argued that accused Ruby was earlier declared a proclaimed offender and the possibility of her fleeing away from the trial cannot be ruled out further her HIV condition is not a licence to commit crime. Moreover, co-accused are still absconding.
The counsel for the accused argued that the accused, Ruby, was not aware of the proceedings against her and she was arrested from her sister's house on February 21, 2024. It is further submitted that in order to falsely implicate the accused persons in the present case, the complainant herself poured acid on her, and in order to take revenge on the family members, she made false allegations against the accused persons. The investigation of the present case has been completely evaded and he has been sent to jail on February 21, 2024. Moreover, the applicant is an HIV patient and is undergoing treatment for it.
According to the prosecution, on June 17, 2018, at about 9 a.m., when the victim was present at home, her mother-in-law, sister-in-law, with the help of other accused persons, started to strangle her. Further, her uncle captured her hair and her husband poured some acidic substance into her mouth. The victim made a phone call to her brother and called the police. Thereafter, a FIR was lodged by police against the accused persons at Shahbad Dairy Police Station.
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