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MUMBAI: A sessions court on Tuesday granted bail to Cuffe Parade resident, Padmakar Nandekar (52) who is accused of sexually assaulting a 19-year-old Brazilian student. Nandekar was arrested in May. While granting bail, the court held that his continued detention was not necessary as the woman was not a minor, and had already moved back to her home country. The police had filed a chargesheet against him last week.

In the bail order, the court accepted defence submissions that the conduct of the woman does not show that she was traumatised by the incident. The court further accepted the contention that the woman had stayed in touch with the accused after the alleged incident and had also used his credit card on three occasions the following day.

The court held that the friend the survivor had complained to, also moved back to her country. The court further said there was no question of him tampering with witnesses and no documentary proof that a similar incident took place in Japan.

The girl, who was on a year long youth exchange programme in India, had lodged a rape complaint on May 20 against Nandekar, the district secretary of the Rotary Club of Bombay Queen City, alleging that he raped her after spiking her drinks. Nandekar had initially hosted the girl at his home, where she stayed with his family for six months.

In her complaint, the girl told police that on April 15, Nandekar invited her for dinner. He took her to a five-star hotel where he spiked her drinks. They returned to his Cuffe Parade residence where Nandekar allegedly raped her. Following her complaint, the police arrested Nandekar.

On August 6, the same court had rejected Nandekar’s first plea for bail.

(The victim's identity has not been revealed to protect her privacy as per Supreme Court directives on cases related to sexual assault)

