PANAJI
The Fast Track Court, Panaji has ordered the release of a bus in which its driver Chandrashekhar Lamani allegedly raped a student on the Christmas holiday last year. Additional Sessions Judge (FTC) Cholu Gauns, in a seven-page order on Monday, granted the release of the vehicle upon payment of a hefty bond of Rs 10 lakh among other conditions.
Lamani was arrested after an engineering student accused him of raping her while she was on a Christmas outing with her colleagues. A group of around 14 students had hired their college bus to tour them to Panaji and other places, being Christmas on Sunday.
The incident occurred in the bus -- parked near a city hotel close to the Panaji bus stand -- when the accused forced himself on the young student, who was allegedly incapacitated as she was under the influence of alcohol. The man was arrested and the vehicle was seized.
Close to two months after the women's police station filed a chargesheet in the case, Lamani approached the trial court seeking release of the bus “to put the vehicle for better use which will help the family to make their livelihood.”
During the hearing, the prosecution objected to the application citing that its fitness and insurance have lapsed and therefore, the plea be rejected by the Court.
The Court, on hearing both parties, observed that the suit vehicle has been lying in the open since December 26, 2022 for more than three months. “The applicant/accused is the owner of the vehicle. He has made out a case for the release of the vehicle,” the Judge said further adding, “… as directed by Apex Court, whatever may be the situation, the vehicle seized in any crime cannot be kept at the police station for more than 15 days to one month.”
