Port Blair gangrape case: Former Chief Secretary Jitendra Narain gets bail

The Calcutta High Court’s Bench in Port Blair Monday granted bail to former Andaman and Nicobar Chief Secretary Jitendra Narain, who has been accused of being involved in a gangrape case, news agency PTI reported. The bench of Justices Chittaranjan Dash and Md Nizamuddin granted conditional bail to Narain.

Meanwhile, advocate Pathick Chandra Das, who represented the rape survivor, said he would move the apex court against the bail order, the news agency’s report further mentioned. “Narain was given conditional bail. Among the conditions is that he cannot enter Andaman and Nicobar Island unless called for, he will not use officers to influence the witness, he cannot make phone calls to any officers and the victim party, he will deposit his passport and cannot leave India,” Das stated.

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Following the allegations made by a 21-year-old woman in Port Blair, Narain was suspended by the Centre in October last year.

The Indian Express had recently reported that the Special Investigation Team (SIT) probing Narain’s alleged involvement in the case has concluded it has sufficient evidence to prosecute the former Chief Secretary and three others on several charges. It had recently filed the chargesheet in the case.

It is learnt that the chargesheet, running into over 900 pages, has revealed that both Jitendra Narain’s co-accused, Rishi and hotel owner Sandeep Singh, have, in their disclosure statements, corroborated the precise sequence of events as furnished by the gangrape victim but have tried to cover up their roles. The three accused are in judicial custody in Port Blair.