Swami denied bail in genital chopping case

Thiruvananthapuram: The High Court on Wednesday denied bail to Gangeshananda Theerthapada alias Hariswami, a self-styled godman who has been accused of raping a 23-year-old law student.

The court accepted the argument of the prosecution that the accused would influence the witnesses in the case once he is out on bail. The prosecution informed the court that there was no need to be concerned of Hariswami’s health as he has been given adequate treatment.

Judge Minimol T K said that it cannot consider the affidavit filed by the victim in support of the accused. The prosecution had stated that the woman’s statements in the affidavit were different from the statements given in front of the Magistrate court and the investigation team.

In a twist to the sensational genital chopping case, the woman victim had purportedly retracted her claim that she had cut the private part of Hariswami to foil a rape bid by him and said he was innocent.

The 23-year-old law student accused the police of having coerced her to level the allegation against the man.

The 54-year-old godman was admitted to the government medical college here with critical injuries in the wee hours of May 20.

The woman had earlier stated that she had chopped off the genitals of the man during a rape attempt at her home at nearby Pettah, where he was a frequent visitor.

She had also alleged that the godman had been raping her since the past six years, when she was a minor.

A case had been registered against the accused under various sections of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and IPC 376 (punishment for rape).