B’luru lawyers accused of sexually harassing intern before she died get anticipatory bail

The victim had filed a sexual harassment complaint against the two men in Bengaluru prior to her death.
B’luru lawyers accused of sexually harassing intern before she died get anticipatory bail
B’luru lawyers accused of sexually harassing intern before she died get anticipatory bail
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Two Bengaluru-based lawyers accused of sexually harassing a 26-year-old have obtained anticipatory bail, police said. The victim, an intern hailing from Port Blair was found dead under mysterious circumstances in her PG accommodation on Saturday. 

She had arrived in Bengaluru in 2017 and was interning with Jayanth M Pattanshetti and Associates till July. She had moved to the PG accommodation a week before her death as she joined a law firm near by. Police suspect that the victim had committed suicide due to pressure from the accused but is awaiting her post-mortem report.

During the course of the probe, Vyalikaval police investigating her death had found that she had filed a sexual harassment complaint against one of the lawyers working with the firm, Chandra Naik T and another lawyer Chetan Desai at the Commercial Street Police Station and based on that the duo was booked under Sections 354A (Sexual harassment) and 354D (Stalking) of the IPC on November 20.

Commercial Street police said: “On November 22, the accused advocates walked into the station with anticipatory bail. We completed the formalities, including a mahajar and taking statements from the accused. In their reply, they pleaded innocence and brushed away the charges.” 

During her internship she was working along Chandra at Jayanth M Pattanshetti and Associates and he in the course of time had introduced her to Chetan. According to her complaint, the duo would force her to drink alcohol and touch her inappropriately besides sexually harassing her. Chandra had reportedly quit the law firm after the victim sent a complaint over email in October.

Commercial Street police further said that she was set to record her statement before a Magistrate according to Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code on Wednesday. 

Meanwhile,  Vyalikaval police are trying to get details from the victim’s cellphone and is hopeful of securing evidence of sexual harassment, threats. Police said based on evidence collected, they will slap a case of abetment to suicide against  the two lawyers.

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