"Ask your bhaiya to be careful this one week," Chief Justice Ramana told the accused's lawyer.
A bunch of posters and hoardings reading "Bhaiya is back", welcoming the bail of a student leader accused in a rape case, hugely irked the Supreme Court on Monday. The woman from Madhya Pradesh had approached the top court challenging the bail, contending the accused had repeatedly raped her on a false promise of marriage and forced her to abort a child.
"There's a hoarding saying 'Bhaiya is back'. What are you celebrating?" questioned Justice Hima Kohli, who was part of a three-judge bench led by Chief Justice of India NV Ramana.
"What is this 'Bhaiya is Back'?" echoed the Chief Justice. "Ask your bhaiya to be careful this one week," the Chief Justice of India then told the accused's lawyer.
The accused, Shubhang Gontia, is apparently a leader of ABVP, the student wing of the BJP's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. The information about the posters was part of the woman's petition against the bail.
The court issued a notice to accused Shubhang Gontia, asking why his bail should not be cancelled. The court also sought response from the Madhya Pradesh government.
The Madhya Pradesh High Court had granted bail to Shubhang Gontia in November.
In her petition, the woman claimed the High Court did not consider the facts and seriousness of the case.
During the hearing today, the top court was told that accused had put vermillion on the woman's forehead and a mangalsutra on her neck in a private ceremony but refused to acknowledge her in public.
It was also alleged that when she became pregnant, she was forced to undergo an abortion.
After this, the woman lodged a case of rape at the Jabalpur Mahila Police Station. Gontia, she alleged, fled as soon as the case was registered.
An FIR was registered against the accused in June 2021 on charges of rape and the police had announced a reward of Rs 5,000.
The court will hear the matter next on April 18.