India News | Cal HC to Consider Prayer by Padma Shri Awardee Monk for 'in-camera' Hearing in Rape Case

Kolkata, Jul 3 (PTI) The Calcutta High Court on Thursday said it will consider a prayer for 'in-camera' hearing of a petition by monk Kartik Maharaj, seeking quashing of an FIR against him alleging rape.

Swami Pradiptananda, who is popular as Kartik Maharaj and a recipient of the Padma Shri award this year, has denied the allegation made by a woman, who claimed in the police complaint that the incident occurred in 2013.

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Upon a verbal prayer made by the monk's lawyer, Justice Jay Sengupta started taking up the matter ‘in camera'.

Advocate General Kishore Dutta, representing the West Bengal government, opposed the proposition and stated that the proceeding should not be held 'in camera'.

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Following this, Justice Sengupta granted liberty to Kartik Maharaj to make a formal application in this regard.

Directing the petitioner to make the application by Friday, the court asked the state to file its response, if any, by Monday.

The matter will be taken up for consideration on Monday, the high court said.

Kartik Maharaj was summoned by the Beldanga police in Murshidabad district in connection with the FIR against him on July 1. He, however, did not turn up, and instead, moved the high court seeking quashing of the FIR against him.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)