Lawyer Arrested for Rape, Victim lodged Case in her eighth month of pregnancy
Victim Tithi (pseudonym) said, ‘Look, I am raped fraudulently but carrying the eight-month baby in the womb. Time is drifting that my child to be born. This dilemma is difficult for me and my family. Being unmarried is very impolite to our Hindu neighborhood. Even in this physical condition I am running and pleading to him for the recognition of this relationship. When I confront him, Paltan frightened to humiliate me more socially. In the end, I feel enforced to go to the police station and file a complaint. Now I am in my eighth month of pregnancy and lodged a Rape Case against him.’
Tithi lodged a written complaint to the Kotwali Police Station in Chittagong City. Kotwali Police recorded the complaint as an FIR after finding the truth of the incident in the preliminary investigation. The FIR recorded under section 9 (1) of Nari-O-Shishu Nirjatan Daman Ain, 2000. The accused lawyer was arrested on Thursday (June 10, 2021) afternoon after the FIR was recorded on Sunday (June 6) and was sent to jail through the court on Friday (June 10).
Advocate Paltan Das (32) was arrested on the charge of rape. He is the son of Bankimchandra Das, a lawyer from Rangunia. His paternal family now lives in the area adjacent to the Buddhist temple at Ichakhali in Rangunia.
This story is about ‘RAPE BY FALSE PROMISE OF MARRIAGE.’
Tithi (pseudonym) was engaged a lawyer to discuss family land disputes in Chittagong. Friendship was formed between them on that basis. Shortly after the introduction, he took her to his village home in Rangunia and raped her. After the rape, the young lawyer assured Tithi about love and marriage in the future. Since then, he has had sexual relations with Tithi (without informed knowledge) at different hotels in Chittagong city at different times. At one stage, Tithi became pregnant. When she asks for marriage, the lawyer even denied the existence of the relationship. She was insulted when she arranged a family arbitrator. After that, she lodged a written complaint in the Chittagong Bar Association stating the whole incident of rape and her pregnancy. She went door-to-door only seeking a simple recognition for the relationship in her eight-month of pregnancy. She failed and finally resorted to the legal procedure.
The statement of the case states, ‘In 2017, Tithi went to Advocate Paltan Das for legal advice on her family land dispute. From there their identity began. There was occasional talk. In between, a love affair is formed between them. The accused lawyer, Paltan Das, had a physical relationship with Tithi by taking her to different places saying that he will marry her soon. This physical relationship was started from February 2020 to January 2021. The accused was even called her and made physical relations in his law practice chamber at the Doel Bhavan of the Bar Association. When talking about marriage, he wasted time on various excuses. At one stage he is not only denying the relationship but also pressured Tithi to have an abortion. Tithi was also threatened with spreading offensive pictures through social media.’
Meanwhile, Tithi told WomenVoiceBD that, this is the time when women wait happily to welcome their child to be born. But I am spending my days in various threats including social disrespect. Initially, I refused him to have this type of relationship. But that Paltan forced me, literally forced. He physically abused me for a year by only talking about marriage.
After seven months of pregnancy, I also informed his family. No one assured me but gave me disrespect and various threats. Then I also lodged a written complaint to the Bar Association.
Paltan did not walk the path of reconciliation either. He has frequently shown me the power of being a lawyer. He always said, ‘Go and sue, I am not afraid of suing. No other advocate will take a case against the advocate.’
Tithi said ‘Paltan has frankly threatened me and my family. A trainee lawyer named Tarin of Chittagong court called me and threatened me. She threatened me several times that my personal information would be posted on a poster.’
Tithi said, ‘I was threatened by the Paltan using various means,” Tithi said. When I went to Rangunia police station with the complaint, they did not take my complaint.
When I made a verbal complaint to the chairman of that constituency, he tried to address it on a personal level and failed. Chairman advised me to take legal recourse.’
‘Through his cousin, Paltan offered me money for raping me. Paltan exhibits to me that a lawyer means a person who above the law. Even if I file a case, no lawyer will help me that was his announcement’— Tithi added.
