Jennipha-Lauren Nielsen, an American woman and a human rights and gender equality activist, has recently posted a video that is going viral on social media, questioning the “corrupt” Indian legal system for giving bail to a man who was arrested after being accused of sexually molesting her in 2013. The US woman was sexually assaulted in Delhi in 2013, but was relieved since the molester was behind bars. But now he has been granted bail and Nielsen has spoken up against the Indian judiciary for giving bail to a convicted criminal, The Indian Express reported on Saturday.
Check out the video here which caused a stir on social media after she posted it on Facebook on July 30:
The Case And The Viral Video
In the video, she speaks up about the horrible incident when the accused, Rajeev Panwar, nephew of former Delhi Mayor Jayshree Panwar, forcefully broke into her apartment and violated her with his finger while she was sleeping with her husband. He was arrested in 2013.
According to Indian news magazine, The Week: “Panwar has been held guilty of digital rape of the US woman and was sentenced for a seven year imprisonment by a Delhi court in February 2019. The court had observed that the victim’s testimony could not be said to be unreliable as she came all the way from her country to depose in the case.”
“When someone rapes a person using their finger or fingers it is termed as digital rape.”
According to news website Livemint.com: “Panwar challenged the trial court’s verdict in the high court which, on July 5, granted him bail on furnishing a personal bond of ₹25,000 (Dh1,318).”
In latest, Jennipha then questioned the Delhi High Court’s decision to grant him bail. Reportedly, he was suspended the seven-year sentence awarded to him by a trial court. An upset Jennipha couldn't hold her anger and shared her feelings on social media. She is furious to know about the High Court’s order, and after the news broke she went to the Indian Consulate in San Francisco demanding some legitimate answers. She posted a video later alleging she was denied any help there.
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Jennipha shared a live video on her Facebook platform outside the Consulate General of India in San Francisco. She wrote: “#ConvictedRapist set free #India #WomensRights. My attacker in India was convicted and sentenced for his crime when found guilty. Now due to the pervasive corruption he’s been given bail during his appeal on a crime he was convicted and sentenced for. Again I am denied assistance...”
Narrating her ordeal, Jennipha said she travelled to India alone to testify in the court, however, now the man was given bail by a “corrupt judge.” She said she is determined to take the case for appeal to the Supreme Court of India, but she also criticised the “corrupt Indian bureaucracy” as the consulate allegedly told her to get the papers notarised from the Indian consulate in Sacramento, California.
In the video she went on to say: “India’s incredible corruption and lack of support for women that are attacked is continuing. They refuse to help me yet they say that they want to stop the violence against women in their own country... They want me to spend thousands of dollars to travel to the state of California on my own money because they have let a convicted criminal out on bail. We don’t give bail to convicted criminals.”
Also Read: Let’s not skirt the issue of sexual violence
In the quest for justice, she went on ask her “desi (from the Indian subcontinent) friends” to help her. She added: “All my friends, I need your help….We are going to take this to the Supreme Court, to the highest court of India,” the complainant said. “You do not let convicted criminals off when the victims were brave enough to go and testify. I need your help,” she added.
The Consulate General of India, San Francisco, responded to her in a Facebook video. According to The Indian Express: “Our deepest sympathies and our support are with you. As you know, all attestations were provided the same day after you spoke to the Consulate officials and we waived the requirements of the Hague Convention that requires apostilling of legal documents. We hope you obtain the justice you seek and deserve at the earliest.”
#NoBailToRapists: How Social media reacts
Bollywood actor Arjun Rampal tweeted: “What is wrong is wrong. It’s our duty as citizens of a country we love and respect, to stand up for what is right. Not only does this tarnish India it speaks poorly on how we protect women our own, and those who visit. #NoBailToRapists.”
Director Farhan Akhtar also appealed to the authorities on Twitter. He wrote: “An urgent and important appeal. #NoBailToRapists.”
Director Farhan Akhtar also appealed to the authorities on Twitter. He wrote: “An urgent and important appeal. #NoBailToRapists.”
Feature Image Credit: Screenshot/Facebook
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