Mumbai:
A sessions court has granted bail to a co-pilot with private air carrier Jet Airways, arrested for allegedly raping an air-hostess on several occasions since May 2009 on the pretext of marrying her.
Varun Agarwal (27) was arrested on May 29 from the suburban domestic airport here for allegedly raping a 22-year-old air hostess, who was in a live-in relationship with him.
Additional sessions judge N P Dhote today granted Varun bail on a surety of Rs 25,000 after accepting the argument of the accused that his custody is no longer required by the police.
"The court has directed Varun not to leave the country and to not tamper with evidence or interfere with the police investigation," his lawyer Laxman Kanal said.
Varun has been booked for rape, cheating, causing hurt and criminal intimidation.
According to the police, the accused, who joined Jet Airways in 2006, started luring the victim since 2008, a year after she joined the air carrier.
Varun had proposed marriage to the victim, who rejected it several times. In 2008, she relented and agreed to his proposal and moved into his house in May 2009. However after a few months, Varun allegedly started assaulting her and threatened to throw acid on her face if she left him.
The victim then approached the police and lodged a complaint.