By IANS,
New Delhi : The Supreme Court Friday ordered the Rajasthan government to seize all the property of Udaipur guest house manager Parbat Singh, who is evading arrest despite being convicted of raping a British tourist and sentenced to life imprisonment by a trial court. Singh was on bail following his appeal to the state high court.
Justice Markendey Katju ordered Rajasthan police to take steps for seizing all the moveable and immoveable property of Singh.
The 40-year-old British woman tourist, who had been staying in the Udaipur Guest House since Dec 18, 2007 was raped by Singh on the night of Dec 23.
A fast track court in Udaipur held Singh guilty of sexually assaulting the British woman and imposed a slew of concurrent penalties on him, including a life term, seven years’ rigorous imprisonment for committing unnatural sex and a fine of Rs.35,000.
But in July 2008, the Jodhpur bench of the Rajasthan High Court suspended Singh’s sentence on his appeal against his conviction. His appeal is still pending in the high court.
The rape victim then moved the apex court, challenging the Rajasthan High Court order and seeking cancellation of the bail granted to Singh.
On the woman’s plea, the apex court Jan 16 ordered “forthwith arrest” of Singh, but the Rajasthan police has been unable to apprehend him.
The British woman had earlier told IANS that Singh could have fled to Germany through Nepal with assistance of his German girlfriend.