The 23-year-old law student who accused former Union minister Chinmayanand of rape was on Monday denied permission to sit for her third semester examination, reported The Indian Express. The university in Bareilly, Uttar Pradesh, said that the student did not fulfill the mandatory rule of 75% attendance. It asked her to produce a court order to appear for the examination that will start from Tuesday.
The woman and three others are lodged in a Shahjahanpur jail for allegedly blackmailing and demanding Rs 5 crore from Chinmayanand. The former Bharatiya Janata Party leader has also been lodged in the same jail since October 20.
The university had admitted the student last month on the directions of the Supreme Court. Chinmayanand was the president of the law student’s previous college administration, where she completed her first and second term exams.
Her lawyer, Kalvinder Singh, said he would file a contempt petition in the Supreme Court against the university’s decision.
However, the university had on Monday allowed the student to appear for an arrear examination. “Today, the university allowed the woman to take her first semester’s back paper examination,” said Registrar Sunita Pandey. “But she will not be allowed to take her LLM’s third semester examination which is starting from tomorrow [Tuesday]. The Supreme Court had ordered to give admission to her, and we have followed the directive. There is no court direction to allow her to take the examination if she does not fulfill the required 75% attendance.”
In September, the Uttar Pradesh government made arrangements to transfer the woman and her brother from SS Law College to Mahatma Jyotiba Phule Rohilkhand University in Bareilly and Shreeji Institute of Legal and Vocational Studies, respectively. The top court had noted that education was of utmost importance to her, and had also requested the Bar Council of India to increase the seats at the colleges in which the woman and her brother will be shifted for their respective law courses.
The law student’s brother said she was given admission in October after the court orders and allotted a room in the hostel. “Since my sister is in judicial custody, she could not attend any classes,” he said.
After the accusations against Chinmayanand came to light in August, the former minister was initially booked on watered down charges but not rape. A rape charge carries a term of seven years extending to life. In the chargesheet, Chinmayanand faces charges under Indian Penal Code sections 376 C (sexual intercourse by a person in authority), 354 D (stalking), 342 (wrongful confinement) and 506 (criminal intimidation). Section 376 C carries a punishment of five to 10 years.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!