The Karnataka High Court turned to the Manusmriti and the words of Mahatma Gandhi while refusing bail to a man accused of enabling the rape of a 19-year-old woman in Bengaluru.
The accused, Syed Parveez Musharaff, was alleged to have restrained and threatened the victim’s cousin, thereby clearing the way for another man to commit the assault. Justice S. Rachaiah, rejecting his bail plea, remarked that the incident would leave the victim with a wound not easily erased from memory.
Drawing from the Manusmriti, the judge cited the verse: “Where women are honored, divinity blossoms. Where women are dishonored, all actions, no matter how noble, remain fruitless.” The order further recalled Gandhi’s reminder that India would not be truly free until women could walk the streets at night without fear.
The assault reportedly occurred in the early hours of April 2, 2025. The young woman had just arrived from Kerala and, accompanied by her cousin, was heading for food when the two men intercepted them. One allegedly restrained the cousin, while the other forced the woman to a nearby spot and raped her. The victim’s cries attracted a crowd; the main assailant fled, but the co-accused was apprehended on the spot.
Musharaff maintained before the High Court that he had no direct role in the rape itself, arguing that his actions did not warrant denial of bail. The State, however, emphasized that by restraining the cousin, he had played a decisive role in the crime.
Taking into account the gravity of the allegations and the lasting impact on the victim, the High Court concluded that bail could not be granted.