Fresh charge sought in Jamshedpur Sahara City rape case

Mail News Service

Jamshedpur, June 16: The legal troubles of an accused in the widely discussed Sahara City rape case may deepen after the prosecution moved a local court seeking the inclusion of a more serious charge under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.
An application was filed before the court of Additional District and Sessions Judge Vimalesh Sahay by advocate Gaurav Kumar Pathak, representing the prosecution, requesting modification of the existing charges against accused Nanak Chandra Seth and the addition of a charge relating to alleged digital rape.
The case pertains to Mango police station area, where the father of a minor girl had lodged an FIR against the accused in connection with an incident reported to have occurred around September 2021.
At present, charges have been framed against the accused under Section 8 of the POCSO Act and Sections 354(G), 504 and 506 of the Indian Penal Code, and the trial is underway.
In the petition, the prosecution contended that testimonies of witnesses and evidence brought before the court during the course of the trial indicate the commission of a far graver offence than the one currently reflected in the charge sheet.
It argued that proceeding solely under provisions relating to sexual assault carrying lesser punishment would be inconsistent with the interests of justice if the evidence supports a more serious offence.
The Sahara City case has remained one of Jamshedpur’s most high-profile and sensitive criminal cases, attracting sustained public attention over the years. The latest plea is expected to become a crucial turning point in the proceedings.
The court is yet to decide on the application. If allowed, the nature of the trial and the potential legal consequences for the accused could undergo a significant change.