After having failed to secure bail from lower court, the two accused in the Mira Road rape and incest case are now looking to move the Bombay High Court. The accused tantrik, Hasmukh Rathod, and father Kishore Chauhan are still behind bars as their bail plea was turned down by the Thane sessions court earlier this month.

The girl’s mother, Anjana, who was aware of the abuse and had collaborated with the other accused was granted bail in July. The police had, in June, filed a chargesheet of over 100 pages against the astrologer and the father for rape and a case of abetment against the mother.

Rathod was arrested along with Kishore, a businessman, and Anjana after their 21-year-old daughter complained about the rape and sexual abuse that she had been undergoing at the instance of her father and Rathod. Rathod, who claimed to be an astrologer, had induced Kishore into believing that having sexual relations with his daughter would help him prosper in his business. The daughter, who had been suffering the abuse since she was 12 years old, had mustered the courage to complain about the rape after she discovered that Rathod had turned his attention on her younger sister who had just turned 15.

The case came to light earlier this year after the girl complained to her maternal uncle. According to her, the younger sister had also been raped by Rathod once at his Andheri residence last year. The sisters lodged a complaint with the Mira Road police on March 18, after which they started residing with their uncle.

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