Faridkot teacher rape case: Ensure accused's presence on Nov 14, says court

Tribune News Service

Faridkot, November 8

In a five-year-old alleged rape case of a teacher at Government Adarsh School, Faridkot, the Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) today asked the counsel of the accused chairman of the school and his son to ensure their presence before the court on November 14 to commence the trial.

The trial was stayed around a year ago by the Punjab and Haryana High Court after the father-son duo had challenged the framing of charges against them, alleging they were booked in a false case and relationship with the victim was consensual.

Today’s directions came in the wake of the Supreme Court’s order of November 3, which set aside the order passed by the Punjab and Haryana High Court.

As per the apex court’s orders, there was sufficient material and evidence to frame the charge under Section 376 of the IPC and the trial court has been directed to examine and consider the modification of the charge under Section 3(1) (w) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

“With these observations, the order passed by the high court has been set aside and the stay on the proceedings is revoked. The file has been sent to the trial court and proceedings will revert back to the stage at which they were before passing the order by the high court,” reads the ACJM’s orders.

In November 2018, the District and Sessions Court, Faridkot, had framed charges against Narinder Singh Randhawa, chairman, Sukh Sagar Welfare Avenue Association, Ludhiana, and his son Jasjeet Singh. However, the accused had approached the high court challenging the framing of charges and in October 2021, the duo got relief.

Later, the victim approached the Supreme Court.

The rape case was registered on October 6, 2017.

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