Bobbitisation: Swami Gangeshananda is innocent, woman to Kerala High Court

Kochi: The woman who allegedly castrated Gangeshananda, on Thursday, submitted before Kerala High Court that the police forced her to make statements contrary to the facts and the Swami had not made any sexual assault. She said the Swami, accused of rape, is innocent and that the averments both in the First Information Statement and her statement before the Magistrate were not right. The woman, who filed the affidavit on the bail petition of Gangeshananda, also claimed that she made false statements under duress.

The victim argued she was forcefully sent to Nirbhaya shelter soon after her statement was recorded though she asked permission to go home. She further contended that her mother was illegally kept under police custody and was released after she was produced before the Magistrate. Gangeshananda had neither committed rape or abused her when she was a minor or afterwards; in turn, he always loved and cared her like a kid, the affidavit stated. He was and is still part of her family, the affidavit said. The state meanwhile argued that the testimony should not be considered for deciding the bail plea. The woman had given a statement under Section 164 of CrPC, and it is the crucial evidence in the case.