UK woman alleges humiliation in Gujarat court

Ahmedabad, Sep 16 (PTI) A young British woman allegedly
molested by a plumber last month has complained to the Gujarat
High Court Chief Justice about the "humiliation" she had to
undergo in the open court during hearing of the case.

The 23-year-old woman, who is here to attend a three-month
internship programme with a city-based NGO, made the complaint
in a letter to the Chief Justice K S Radhakrishnan Tuesday,
a day after she was asked embarassing questions at a
metropolitan court. Her name was not revealed.
In the letter, the woman alleged that Sanjay Prajapati,
lawyer representing the plumber, humiliated her by asking
whether she smoked or consumed alcohol, her lawyer Meena
Jagtap said.

The woman has since made a plea to conduct the hearing in
the case in-camera, which was accepted by the court.

During such a hearing, only the Judge, victim, accused
and their lawyers can remain present in the courtroom.

The woman further claimed that Prajapati, during the
hearing in the court of magistrate N M Gundeliya on Monday,
had asked her questions in Gujarati which she could not
comprehend and that she was not provided with a translator.

Even public prosecutor J S Joshi left the court during
cross examination to attend hearing in another case, she
complained.

The woman Tuesday brought her own counsel, Meenal Jagtap,
in the court who also acted as a translator. Meenal said some
of the questions were not relevant at all.

The woman earlier filed an FIR with Satellite police
station alleging that local plumber, Pragnesh Chhatrada,
molested her on August 24 when he had come to her residence
for shower repair.

Following the complaint, Chhatrada was arrested and
chargesheeted. PTI PB