'Single hand can't clap': Apex court gives bail to influencer in rape case

The Supreme Court on Wednesday granted interim bail to a 23-year-old social media influencer accused of raping a 40-year-old woman after he had spent nine months in jail without charges being framed in the case.

- Ayesha Arvind

BENGALURU:

A bench of justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma questioned the Delhi Police's decision to invoke rape charges in the case, noting that the woman was an adult who had voluntarily accompanied the accused on outstation trips on multiple occasions.

"A single hand can't clap. On what basis have you filed a case under Section 376 of IPC? She is not a baby. The woman is 40 years old. They have gone together to Jammu," the bench observed.

"Why have you invoked 376? This lady goes to Jammu seven times and the husband is not bothered," it added.

The bench court also remarked on the man, asking, "Who gets influenced by such people?" Section 376 of the IPC refers to the crime of rape.