Two IIT-BHU Rape Accused Get Bail; Opposition Slams HC Decision

The Allahabad High Court has granted conditional bail to Kunal Pandey and Anand alias Abhishek Chauhan, two of the three individuals accused in the alleged gang rape of a BTech student at the IIT-BHU in Varanasi.

The accused were released on bail after spending seven months in jail following their arrest in January 2024.

However, the court denied bail to the third accused, Saksham Patel, whose case is set to be reviewed on September 14, 2024.

The incident took place on November 2, 2023, when the 20-year-old student was allegedly attacked by the three men while she was out with a friend.

According to reports, the victim was abducted, stripped, and sexually assaulted by the three accused on the IIT-BHU campus. The accused allegedly confessed to the crime, including disrobing and filming the survivor at gunpoint.

The Opposition has condemned the release of the accused, calling it a stark example of the government's inconsistent stance on women's safety.