PANAJI
The Panaji Women Police sleuths on Tuesday filed a charge sheet against a driver on charges of raping a student on December 25, 2022. The 110-page charge sheet against Chandrashekhar Lamani under section 376 (rape) of the Indian Penal Code is filed before the Judicial Magistrate. Around 25 witnesses have been examined during the probe.
The bus driver was arrested after an engineering student accused him of raping her while she was on a Christmas outing with her colleagues.
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.
A group of around 14 students had hired their college bus to tour them to Panaji and other places, being Christmas on Sunday.
The victim had allegedly consumed vodka and stayed back whereas her batch-mates stepped out to explore the city. The victim was subjected to medical examination that confirmed she was raped.
Lamani, who lived in the accommodation provided by the college within the campus, has been in custody since then. He had recently applied for conditional bail but withdrew it subsequently.
