SC grants anticipatory bail to Canadian citizen in rape case
The Supreme Court has granted anticipatory bail to a Canadian citizen accused in a rape case, saying that based on unverified allegations, it cannot be held that he is required to be morally condemned.
A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale granted relief to Manpreet Singh Gill, a Canadian citizen, who was booked for rape by the Punjab police on a complaint filed by a woman.
The police lodged the complaint on November 11, 2025, by the woman, who alleged that she was misled about his marital status and had developed a relationship. She alleged that Gill threatened her with dire consequences to withdraw an earlier complaint and had a sexual relationship with her on the intervening night of 9th and November 10, 2025, after administering alcohol and intimidating her.
Gill, who has challenged the order of the Punjab and Haryana High Court denying him pre-arrest bail through his lawyer, advocate Sana Raees Khan, contended that the relationship was consensual. Khan argued that the FIR was driven by an extortionist motive, pointing out that the complainant was fully aware of his marital status from the very inception of their relationship.
She further highlighted material inconsistencies, noting that while the alleged video was claimed to have been received on November 2, 2025, there was a conspicuous omission of this crucial allegation in the FIR lodged on November 11, 2025.
