#MenToo: Woman’s lawyer says she plotted attack

MUMBAI: On the run for four days, Ali Kaashif Khan (25), the lawyer of the woman who has accused actor Karan Oberoi of rape, surrendered before Oshiwara police on Monday morning. He was arrested and produced before Andheri court, which granted him bail.
Police had been looking for him ever since one of the four youths arrested for an attack on the woman when she was out on a morning walk in Andheri on May 25 told them that he was a relative of Khan’s and that it was the lawyer who had asked him to carry out the assault.
Read also: If FIR is found false, it may have bearing on rape case too
Police told court while seeking Khan’s custody that he had acted as mediator between the woman and the four assailants. Police also said Khan had told them “the woman had plotted the attack on herself.”
Khan’s lawyer K Thomas Bubu also produced in court the three-page statement of his client submitted to the police, which claimed he was innocent and blamed the woman for “doing black magic” on his cousin, who then “did as she instructed.” Khan has now been charged with criminal conspiracy (Section 120(B) of the Indian Penal Code), like the other arrested accused.
#MenToo: Named as plotter, woman could be held
Arguments between the prosecution which asked for police custody and the defence lawyer, who demanded bail, went on for more than an hour.
Khan’s lawyer argued before the magistrate that the offence was bailable and Khan was being framed, so there was no need for police custody. Khan, he said, was ready to cooperate with police in their probe and had even submitted a statement which clearly mentioned the role of the complainant in the attack on herself and how she was involved in “black magic.” Bubu argued that when the other four accused had got bail and “the main conspirator”, according to him the woman, was out, police custody for Khan was not necessary.
After going through Khan’s statement, the judge ordered his release on bail on a Rs15,000 surety.
Emerging from court, Khan told TOI: “The woman used my cousin Altamash Ansari (22) to carry out the attack after paying him Rs10,000. The planning took place at her home two days before the assault, when I introduced Altamash to her as someone who had some contacts in the ministry. She wanted to organize a #MeToo campaign in Delhi. Minutes after Altamash returned from her flat, I found his behaviour weird. When I learnt about the attack on May 25, I rushed to help her file an FIR. The same day, cops told us they had got hold of the attacker’s bike number. It was then that the woman confessed to me that she had plotted the attack.”
However, the woman refuted Khan’s allegations. She told TOI: “This is absolutely false. The investigation shall prove the truth of the matter. I always had a strong case on merit. My original advocate was doing a fabulous job. Khan, as a second advocate, was more interested in a media trial and in facing the cameras while I was not, therefore I never came forward until now. What his agenda for the media trial was, he knows best. I only know I have suffered in the bargain for having trusted people blindly.”
The woman further stated, “I have never met Khan’s cousins, nor do I indulge in black magic. I do prayers, chanting etc which is (sic) beneficial to people and I have never harmed anyone till date. He is making false allegations to wriggle out of the situation. I would have not got myself attacked by anyone despite having a strong case on merit – even on wrong advice.”
She said her original advocate was Sheetal Pandya, who however had handled her case till the level of the sessions court. “I want to make it clear I always had a strong case and there are Supreme Court judgements which favour my case.” She added she was now looking to appoint a lawyer who was experienced and trustworthy.
After the woman was attacked by two bike-borne men, Oshiwara police arrested Zishan Ansari (23) on the basis of the bike’s registration details obtained through CCTV footage from the area.
“Zishan’s arrest led to Khan’s cousin Altamash Ansari (22) and the two who carried out the attack, Jithin Santosh Kurian (22) and Arafat Ahmed Ali (21). All three were held from their hideouts in Santacruz. Altamash told us that Khan had hired them to attack the woman.” All four youths were later released on bail.
The complainant had also stated that after she was slashed with a paper cutter, the men on the bike had threatened to hurl acid at her if she did not withdraw the rape case against Oberoi.
Oshiwara senior inspector Shailesh Pasalwar said they were probing the case in the right direction. Another senior police officer told TOI the police would take legal opinion before taking action against the woman and added that “even the complainant in a case can become an accused.”