The Muslim female students of Netra Jyoti Paramedical College in Udupi, who are accused of video recording their Hindu classmates in the bathroom, have been granted bail by a Udupi court.
Additional Civil Judge Shyam Prakash heard the bail pleas of the three accused named Alimatul Shaifa, Shabanaz, and Alia, and granted them bail. Advocate Asadullah Katpadi, appearing for the students, claimed that the case was politically motivated and that the complaint was not filed by the affected student.
The court accepted the plea and granted bail to the three on personal bonds of Rs 20,000 each. However, the court ordered them to cooperate with the investigators and attend all court hearings. The court also added that witnesses should not be intimidated.
The incident happened on 18th July when a Hindu girl noticed that the three accused were making a video of her while she was in the bathroom. She then alerted others, following which the three accused students were suspended.
The college management conducted an inquiry into the matter and concluded that the video had been deleted, closing the case. However, due to public outrage, a case was filed against the girls and the college administration by the police.
The girls have been booked under They were booked under Sections 509 (word, gesture or act intended to insult the modesty of a woman), 204 (destruction of document or electronic record to prevent its production as evidence), 175 (omission to produce document or electronic record to public servant by person legally bound to produce it) and 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and section Section 66(e) (punishment for violation of privacy) of the Information Technology Act.
Earlier today, the three girls surrendered before the court, and were granted anticipatory bail after they applied for the same.
