Saravjeet Singh says he can’t clear his name of the ‘criminal’ tag because the woman, Jasleen Kaur, hasn’t attended a single hearing in 3 years.
New Delhi: Three years after he was labelled a ‘pervert’ because of an alleged incident of molestation on a Delhi road, Saravjeet Singh, 28, is struggling to keep a job, has to appear at a police station every time he needs to leave the city and is yet to get a passport.
And his troubles are far from over.
Arguments in the case against him are yet to begin as the complainant, former St Stephen’s student Jasleen Kaur, has not attended even a single hearing in the matter. There have been 13 hearings so far.
Noting her prolonged absence, a Delhi district court issued a bailable warrant against her on 28 August.
“Each time I go to the court for the hearing, they call out my name, ask me to put my hand up and write down my name,” Saravjeet tells ThePrint. “They ask if the complainant has come. Because she is absent, another date is given and the matter is dismissed. This has been happening for the past three years”.
Also read: I am ashamed: Ex-Times Now employee apologises 3 yrs after ‘molestation’ case
Saravjeet claims that the woman’s father keeps telling the court that she is studying abroad. “Each time when the judge asks why the complainant has not appeared, her father says that she has gone to Canada to study. So that means she has the right to make a career but I do not,” he says.
ThePrint tried to contact Jasleen and her lawyer over the phone and through social media but they were not available. The story will be updated when they respond.
Also read: Why Delhi woman behind viral post on ‘molestation’ didn’t appear in court for 3 years
The viral Facebook post
The case had captured the nation’s imagination in August 2015, when Jasleen, in a Facebook post, accused Saravjeet of verbally harassing her at the Tilak Nagar traffic signal in West Delhi.
The post went viral, with Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal and actress Sonakshi Sinha, among others, lauding the woman’s ‘bravery’.
The Delhi Police promptly arrested Saravjeet, while TV channels and social media labelled him a ‘pervert’.
But before his arrest, Saravjeet too had put out a Facebook post in which he gave his side of the story.
Jasleen’s version of events began to unravel after a purported eyewitness, Vishwajeet Singh, vouched for Saravjeet’s innocence.
Vishwajeet claimed it was Jasleen who had verbally abused Saravjeet and misbehaved with him. While there were apologies to Saravjeet, including from Sinha, police proceeded with the case.
‘Finding it difficult to keep a job’
In the last three years, Saravjeet says he has not been able to get a stable job because of his “criminal record”.
“Soon after the incident, the company I was working with asked me to leave. We used to produce labels for branded clothes and had international clients. My boss told me that the company’s name was being tainted as the news had spread to our international clients as well,” he said.
“I then took up a job at a marriage bureau that was paying me 40 per cent less than what I was earning earlier, but I had no option,” he adds.
Saravjeet is a Bachelors in Arts and holds a diploma in animation.
A few months later, Saravjeet was again asked to leave. He says he joined another company in November 2016 but was asked to leave because of his visits to the court.
“The third company chucked me out because each time I had a hearing, I had to take leave. They never respected me and looked at me as if I was a criminal. One day I was asked to leave and come back only after I was declared innocent,” he said.
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“What infuriates me the most is that arguments in the case have not even begun. When will I prove my innocence and when will I resume a normal life,” he asks. “All this, because the woman has not got the time to attend a hearing”.
Citing lack of trust in his lawyer, Singh said that this time he went and spoke to the judge himself.
“I got a lawyer from legal aid since I cannot afford an expensive lawyer. That lawyer just appears on dates but says nothing to the judge,” he says.
“He doesn’t even read the files before coming. So, this time I thought of speaking to the judge myself and requested him to finalise the case”.
The judge reportedly told Singh that if the complainant does not appear in the next hearing scheduled in December, a non-bailable warrant will be issued against her.
“Hopefully my case will be decided if she fails to appear in the next hearing,” Saravjeet says.
Sarvjeet, I don’t know you and you don’t know me. But I think what is happening to you is wrong.
You MAY have made inappropriate remarks, as alleged by Jasleen, but you sure as hell haven’t raped her. I believe you haven’t touched her or made any physical contact whatsoever. Jasleen, on the other hand has led a worldwide smear campaign on you using social media, an Indian politician, an Indian actress, Indian news agencies and a number of Indian women and men who have supported her. She has purposely and deliberately avoided confronting you legally in court. Assuming that her allegations regarding death threats/physical harm to her by you are true, fleeing and hiding in a foreign country is understandable, but not excusable.
I request you to kindly use social media the same way she has. I think I’d have done the same, had I been in your situation. However, you’d do well to consult a competent and trustworthy lawyer. I believe I found one (agatul.adv@gmail.com) offering his help in this very comments section.
In case you do decide to weaponize social media the way Jasleen has, be aware that the country Jasleen Kaur has chosen to hide in is a hotbed of Feminism and Social Justice Warfare. Read up on Professor Jordan Peterson and watch his videos on YouTube if you don’t believe me.
I’m sorry this is happening to you, even if you are guilty of verbally hurting this Jasleen Kaur. No human being should have to go through this, specially considering that your “guilt” is unproven.
I hope you take it upon yourself to fight back using social media, prove your innocence in court with the help of a competent lawyer and emerge a hero. I’m inclined to believe you’re innocent since I’ve watched Jasleen’s videos on news channels and I’m highly skeptical of her mannerisms, demeanor, body language, speech and her escape to foreign shores.
My fellow Indians, please help support Sarvjeet, and please help convey to him the thoughts above by sharing and forwarding.
Jai Hind.
ok,the girl a girl can shout on fb that something has happend to her but she can’t apper in court just becouse she is making her career and what about the man who is not getting a job and his family ,they are also suffering.& last to all those faminist who are saying the girl is innocent shoud remind the girl that she has to attent the court.
Law is reason Free from Passion- Aristotle
In our country law is twisted based more on passion than reason. The law had been created unfair/biased for protection and empowerment of women but when women like Rohtak sisters and Jasleen Kaur misuse it for fame and money, the question mark arises is it the way to go or should we improve investigation techniques like in Western countries or just to curb one evil we give rise to another just to shirk the responsibility. As such women like these know even though they are lying they will have Zero repercussions from the law when actually they should be held accountable, because they not only hurt lives of the victimized guys but other girls in future who could face actual sexual harassment and people will doubt authenticity of their case because of such low life like Jasleen Kaur who falsely cried WOLF just for her 15 minute of fame.
Also the TV channels who just start jumping to conclusions without iota of investigation and go ahead with Trial by Media should be held accountable as well who would rather do such cheap propaganda in name of Free Speech, which it is not, instead actually taking pain in gathering all the facts.
In Tamil we have a saying, “idam, porul, eval arinthu sollu”. Meaning one has to speak in awareness of the location, subject and the listener’s intent.
The guy was arguing with a woman in Delhi at a time when feminism competes tooth and nail to blame men. What exactly was he expecting. Now his arguments might be perfect , but still he has to bear the consequences for a lack of situational awareness.
As an analogy, teaching mathematics is most certainly respectable and appreciated. But teaching mathematics to a king cobra after jumping into its pit and standing 1 feet away from its fangs is no short of suicidal stupidity. This guy did exactly that. He was arguing with a woman at night in the streets of Delhi. What on Earth was he expecting..? A pizza..?
So boys, take notes. Never put yourself in a situation where you can be blamed. You can and most often, will be charged and unlike your mom, not everybody will believe your innocence. It will ruin your life to an extent that you wish you did not live. This guy’s will power amazes, if it were me in his position, I would have ended my life long back.
Very shameful….if that girl thinks she is right then she should have courage to appear in court….but whatever is going on right now clearly proves that she is lying….court should send notice to MEA to invalid her passport and force her family to bring her back from her hideout….very shameful….and moreover media is equally responsible for this fiasco…. government should issue shutdown notice to all media houses as per policy for wrong reporting….
I heard about this 3 years ago but never knew that this matter is still pending……how can the system have dual standards….in 3 years she hasn’t attended even a single hearing and living her life peacefully while the guy can’t even have a job properly…..will the court compensate the guy if he is proved innocent??
Compensation:-
The woman or her guardians must compensate this man for all the loss incurred to him for their failure to attend, even if he’s found guilty.
Amount To Be Compensated:-
That should include: 1. averaged last drawn salary for three years + Plus +, if not found guilty then, Compensation for delibrate attempt to tarnish reputation & dignity. +Plus + All this with penal interest.
In fact I would recommend this Gentleman to get on with an FIR of this aspect immediately.
I don’t know who is the culprit here but the girl not appearing in the court seems to be the one. She should atleast be punished and compensate the boy. And yes, girls do misuse the laws, soliciting soft corners for them selves.
I was trying get more info on the incident for a very long time. Indian media is such they gave hype to this issue when it was new but none of the media houses have run or published a single story once the hype settled and incident actually became a legal case.
Final after 3 year one portal for hold of the news.
The companies which are asking the guy to leave should also be dragged to the court, because they are depriving the accused of his fundamental rights. When an accused politician can contest an election and sit in the parliament, why a common citizen should suffer and most importantly when the case is subjudice.
Hi Ananya,
No one deserves to be punished like this. The law has ample recourse in such cases (assuming your story to be true). We can get the FIR quashed or take other appropriate remedy available in law. Please ask Saravjeet to get in touch with me. I believe I can help him. You can contact me at agatul.adv@gmail.com
I hope this man gets a clean chit and good life. While that girl gets to rot in prison for the rest of her life plus she has to bear for the damages what happened to him after that incident.
Hope the Justice is served and the crap running in the name of woman empowerment and feminism ends for good.
Terrible news. Is there no law in this country to save men from the attack of women criminals?
A woman can use law to destroy any innocent man in this country it appears
And hide in Western “developed” countries. They have become criminal’s heaven.
Hail corrupt feminism!
For politicians to take sides and make public comments is private disputes is fundamentally wrong. Kejriwal, Pappu & the media particularly IE (of which Mr Shekar Guta) was editor have been quick to make casteist comments against one of the parties. As a result of media & pappu’s instigation, in several cases, one of the parties have been falsely booked undet the SC/ST act.
If the accused gets a favourable verdict, it must include monetary compensation.
Kegriwal should provide him a job. He is one among the people who ruined this guys life.
If fact then this woman must be dragged to court with rope tied around her waist.Her father must be given the lesson of his life for such degraded character of his daughter.A woman complains and police without verifying only puts the man to all sorts of hazards.Where is that faltu CM.And who is this sonakshi?
Wow. Such violent thoughts. I really want to know, What according to you should be the punishment for guys who actually harrasd, molest a d rape girls. What should be done to them and their families. What should be the punishment for boys and families who emotionally , physically and mentally torture girls after marriage. I am appalled.
U r a typical feminist who simply thinks izzat (reputation) belongs only to you.
What do you think all real males want? Real rapes to be remain unpunished?
Madam… Real man can’t rape. So who really found commiting it must be treated abnormally.
But what is the effect of false rape accusations and heated argument misinterpreted as sexual harassment? Do you girls know how it affect the innocents. AT LEAST DO YOU HAVE THE WILL TO KNOW THE OTHER SIDE OF STORY.?
I’m appalled that you’re not bothered by Jasleen’s behavior.
Sarvjeet: Innocent until proven guilty or guilty until proven innocent? What if it was YOUR brother accused by Jasleen Kaur? Obviously you’ll reply that your brother would never do this.
Of course dear misandrist, you’re appalled.
Go worship your feminist goddess jasleen kaur.
Thats shameful Indian legal system. The girl should be arrested and put behind bars.
Indian laws are so against men!
How A single incident changes life….the law always support the women…many a times the innocent men become victim.
Justice delayed is justice denied.
Saravjeet should take to social media and also to the college where she is studying whenever it is.
Such incidents should be discussed in different forums and somebody should represent and change the law , where people use it to harass others.
Saravjeet,you don’t loose heart, use this incident as a mission to educate people who misuse the law which was created to protect them,especially women.
No morals oh my God where are we heading 🙁
Yes I think it’s true he is innocent . Many girls misuse the laws . Since women have an upper hand . It once happened to me in school but I just got a slap from the teacher because I was 10 year old then . No one listened to me . I still remember that day .
She playing the women card
Shekhar ji, you feel proud in criticising Kejriwal but at the time of incident Kejriwal was not knowing that lady would not attend court. Kejriwal has done according to the situation. Shekhar ji why do you feel proud in finding mistakes in Kejriwal ? I really suspect that you are linient towards BJP.
@Preetpal Singh, When PM Modi doesn’t comment on Lynchings, people ask why. This is the reason. Kejriwal and the likes tweet without forethought, mercilessly ruining an innocent guys life but responsible leaders think before doing so. As expected, most of the lynching news turned out to be fake & some with reasons like theft or personal feud and that they were viral only because Congress IT cell (and Cambridge Analytica) did an exceptional job.
This is extremely saddening. I do agree to the fact that the cases of harassment in delhi are extremely high. But, here an innocent man is trying to prove that he ie not a criminal for the past 3 years and nothing is being done about it. I urge the authorities to track that girl down and ask her to appear in the court room. This needs to be fixed immediately. Also, i think Saravjeet should take help of social media platforms and reach out to as many people as he can to create an echo. I hope this gets fixed soon.