(Image source from: ScoopWhoop)

An American national woman who once visited India expressed her wrath over the Indian legal system for giving bail to a man who was arrested after being accused of sexually molesting her in 2013.

A human rights activist and gender equality activist Jennipha-Lauren Nielsen caused a stir on social media after she posted a video on Facebook against “corrupt” Indian legal system on July 30.

Jennipha shared a live video on her Facebook page from 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...”

Recounting her painful experience, Jennipha said she had to travel to India alone to testify in the court. However, now the man was released by bail allegedly by a “corrupt judge”. She added that she now has to take the case for appeal to the Supreme Court of India.

The victim also criticized the “corrupt Indian bureaucracy” as the consulate allegedly told her to get the papers notarized 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 are 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.”

She went on ask her “desi (from the Indian subcontinent) friends” to assist her and guarantee that justice was served to her in the case and added: “You do not let convicted criminals off when the victims were brave enough to go and testify. I need your help”

The Consulate General of India in San Francisco responded to her viral Facebook video stating all the attestations were provided on the same day itself.

They posted in response to her video: “Our deepest sympathies and our support are with you. As you know, all attestations were provided on the same day (Tuesday) after you spoke to the Consulate officials and we waived the requirements of the Hague Convention that requires apostilling (verification) of legal documents. We hope that you obtain the justice you seek and deserve at the earliest.”

According to media reports, in 2013, Delhi resident Rajeev Panwar allegedly sexually assaulted the U.S. national who was staying as a renter in his house in South Delhi with her husband.

Rajeev Panwar, the nephew of former Delhi mayor Jayshree Panwar, was taken into custody in 2013 for the alleged offense committed in his flat rented to the visitors.

According to The Week: “Panwar has been held guilty of digital rape of the U.S. 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 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 Rs 25,000.”

By Sowmya Sangam