New Delhi: At a time when personalities like Nirav Modi and Mehul Chowksi have hit the headlines for fleeing India to escape clutches of law, the Supreme Court asked an accused in a criminal case if he has also joined the 'Quit India Movement' since he has shifted to Finland.
A bench of Justices J Chelameswar and Sanjay K Kaul was hearing an anticipatory bail plea of the techie from Bengaluru when the remarks were made.
"Where are you currently?" the bench asked the techie's lawyer, seeking protection from arrest for his client who was booked under rape charge for allegedly reneging from his promise to marry the complainant girl.
"He is in Finland my lords," replied the lawyer.
"Oh! Have you also joined the Quit India Movement?" shot back the bench, in an apparent reference to the raging Nirav Modi-PNB scam wherein the prime accused have run away from the country after defaulting to repay massive loans.
At this, the lawyer said that his client is ready to come down and cooperate with the police.
The counsel also said the rape case was lodged in 2016 by the girl for the offence allegedly committed in 2012. He said the FIR lodged by the Koramangala police station in Bengaluru in 2016 was abuse and misuse of the rape laws.
Satisfied that the techie did not require to be arrested at this stage, the bench allowed his plea and issued a notice to the state police on the appeal filed against a rejection of his anticipatory bail plea by the high court in July last year.
“In the meanwhile, there shall be a stay on the arrest of the petitioner but he shall cooperate with the investigation,” ordered the Court.
The 'Quit India Movement' was launched by Mahatma Gandhi in 1942 to end the British rule in the country.
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