‘State’s future asset,’ says Gauhati HC while granting bail to IIT rape accused

The Gauhati High Court recently granted bail to a student of IIT Guwahati accused of rape, calling him the “the state's future asset” despite a “prima facie case” against him.

Justice Ajit Borthakur called both the students -- the accused and the complainant -- “the state’s future assets,” while granting bail to the accused, Utsav Kadam. But he also said there is a clear prima facie case, which means that the offence of rape was in fact committed by the accused, who was chargesheeted under sections 376, 328, 307 and 120B of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"However, as the investigation in the case is completed and both the informant/victim girl and the accused are the state's future assets being talented students pursuing technical courses at the IIT Guwahati, who are young in the age group of 19 to 21 years only and further, they are being hailed from two different states, the continuation of detention of the accused in the interest of trial of the case, if charges are framed, may not be necessary,” held the HC in its August 13 order, PTI reported.