Bengaluru, Nov 20 (IANS) The Bengaluru court, on Thursday, granted anticipatory bail to a 64-year-old senior citizen, who had been accused of rape by another senior citizen, his former lover.

The 53rd Bengaluru Additional City and Civil Sessions Court Special Judge Anitha. G had passed the order in this regard recently.

The case was registered in Bengaluru’s Bellandur police station under Sections 74, 78, 64 and 351 (2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) and the accused had pleaded for immunity from arrest.

During the proceedings, it emerged that the relationship between the parties was fully consensual and had continued over a long period of time, and the complaint appeared to have been lodged only after the complainant’s husband discovered the relationship.

The court also took note of allegations that the husband of the victim attempted to exert influence by citing his connections, proximity to high-profile individuals, including former Vice-President, and that senior police officials (Deputy Commissioner of Police) had repeatedly called the accused to settle the matter.

The matter was argued over two dates by Advocate Prateek Som, who appeared from Delhi, and the court ultimately found it fit to grant relief in the anticipatory bail application.

The complainant said that she knew the accused and he frequently visited her during her stay in Haridwar for naturopathy treatment.

She alleged that the accused took her to a room in the pretext of performing worship, locked the door and forced himself on her.

It was alleged that the accused tried to remove her clothes and threatened not to cause alarm.

Due to health reasons, the complainant fainted and accused fled the spot.

Later, the accused came back, threatened her not to reveal the incident and dropped her to the airport.

After returning to Bengaluru, the victim lodged a complaint with the police.

The accused claimed that FIR is false and was filed due to malice.

He said that the complainant suppressed the fact that she had voluntarily involved herself in an extramarital romantic relationship with him from 2019 and the relationship carried on for several years.

The accused has produced nearly 120 call records over a period of 7.30 hours between the petitioner and the complainant and claimed that communication between them showed that they have shared personal, intimate and sexual details of each other’s lives.

He also claimed that the contents of phone calls clearly show a deep emotional bond between both of them and they entered into consensual, emotional and sexual relationship.

On many occasions, the two exchanged the words ‘I love you’.

It was also brought to the notice of the court that both exchanged the words ‘I love you’ on August 19, 2025, at 10:30 p.m. despite the fact that at 12 noon the petitioner is alleged to have tried to force himself on the victim.

The accused claimed that their relationship was discovered by the husband of the complainant and claimed that her husband coerced, pressurised her and at his behest, she has lodged the complaint with an intention to salvage her reputation and protect herself from social stigma.

While granting bail, the court said that the victim has actively participated in conversations.

It appears that as the husband of complainant came to know about the extramarital relationship existing between petitioner and complainant die to which the complainant could have lodged the complaint in order to appease her husband and salvage her marriage.

The court also noted that the accused voluntarily appeared before the investigation officer on November 3, 2025, but the officer did not deem it fit to question him.

Considering the facts, the court granted bail to the accused senior citizen.

–IANS

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