SC protects UP university's VC from arrest in rape, religious conversion case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday granted protection from arrest to Prof Rajendra Bihari Lal, Vice Chancellor of Uttar Pradesh's Sam Higginbottom University of Agriculture, Technology and Sciences, formerly known as Allahabad Agriculture University, in a case related to rape and religious conversion.

A special bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and K V Vishwanathan assembled during the vacation bench to consider the plea challenging the Allahabad High Court's order directing Lal to surrender on December 20, 2023 in the case.

Senior advocate Siddharth Dave for the petitioner submitted that the High Court passed the order on December 11, 2023 which was uploaded on December 14, 2023 directing him to surrender in the case lodged by a woman employee alleging forced conversion in year 2005 and rape afterwards.

The woman worked in the University till year 2022 before her dismissal. The anti conversion law is also year 2021, he said.

The counsel said the University has been established in year 1910.

"There is a grave danger as the direction requires the petitioner to surrender on December 20 and then apply for regular bail. My right of anticipatory bail has gone," he said.

After hearing the counsel briefly, the bench issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh government and the complainant and stayed the High Court's order till January 12, 2024 or until further orders whichever is earlier.

The court fixed the matter for further hearing on January 3, 2024 before the appropriate bench subject to the order by the Chief Justice of India.

"Until that day, there shall be interim order protecting the petitioner from arrest in the FIR lodged on November 4, 2023 in district Hamirpur," the bench ordered.