PANJIM: The High Court of Bombay at Goa has granted bail to a Karnataka native after his DNA sample did not match with the child born to an alleged rape survivor. The man’s release comes nearly 18 months after his arrest in Feb 2017.
According to the case details, the victim, who was then aged 21 years, was offered a lift by the man to her home but he allegedly took her to an isolated place where she was raped. The prosecution and investigating officer attached to Ponda Police Station claimed that the victim was later pregnant and delivered a baby.
Adv Savio Noronha appearing for the accused argued that the DNA report did not show him to be the biological father of the child and that the deposition of the victim in the Sessions Court ‘is highly inconsistent and unreliable’.
The alleged accused, who has permanently shifted to Goa, was then released on bail with a condition to submit a bond of Rs 50,000 with two solvent sureties of Rs 25,000 each, out of which, at least one shall be a local surety.
The accused also furnished his local and native address before the Sessions Judge along with proof, and has been asked not to leave Goa without permission of the court and to not tamper with evidence/witness in the case.
