 | « Back to article | Print this article |
Asian Games gold medalist Pinki Pramanik walked out of jail after 26 days on Wednesday and said she was falsely implicated in the rape case.
She was arrested after a woman charged that the athlete was male and had raped her.
-Pinki Pramanik's gender test inconclusive
But on Tuesday the athlete was granted bail by a court in North 24 Parganas district after spending 25 days in judicial custody.
-Railways suspends Pinki Pramanik from service
The bail was granted by the Barasat court to Pramanik, whose chromosome pattern test report to determine her gender was received by the SSKM Hospital on Monday.
-Athlete Pramanik accused of being male, held for rape
"I have been framed," Pramanik said after she was released from Dum Dum Central Correctional Home.
"I will consult my lawyer and decide the next course of action," she added.
The District and Sessions Judge of Barasat Court ruled that she be released on bail on a bond of Rs 5,000, as necessary investigations and medical tests to ascertain her gender were over.
Pramanik was arrested on June 14 after she was accused of being male by live-in partner, a 30-year-old estranged woman who also alleged she was raped.
Hailing the court's decision to grant bail to the Asian Games gold medallist, the Bengal sports fraternity on Tuesday demanded punishment to those guilty of mistreating the athlete.
Around 30 sportspersons, including Asian Games gold medallist and former CPI-M MP Jyotirmoyee Sikdar, gathered outside the North 24-Parganas district court in Barasat to hear the court's decision on the bail plea.
"We are very happy that Pinki was granted bail after a 25-day ordeal. But one must remember that this is not the way to treat a woman who has done the country proud by winning international medals. I know her (Pramanik) since 2001. She is such a fine athlete," Sikdar said.
Former Indian women's football captain Kuntala Ghosh Dastidar said, "She is innocent and a victim of conspiracy. She had to go thorough mental torture for the last 25 days. Hope justice is delivered to her."
Former long-distance swimmer Bula Chowdhury said, "It's a national shame. By this, they have sent out a negative message. It's only possible in Bengal."
"She is a simple village girl who has done her country proud by winning an Asiad gold. We are not professionals. We play for the country just to earn respect and no money. But her self dignity is lost by putting her in the lock-up for 25 days. Can they compensate it? But we are happy that Pinki finally got the bail. We want justice for her."
Former footballer and coach Subrata Bhattacharya said, "It's good that she finally got her bail plea granted. But we want proper justice for her. But I think the treatment meted out to her was unfair. Many criminals go scotfree, but Pinki being innocent had to face the inhuman treatment."
A PIL was moved in the Calcutta high court on July 6 alleging inhuman torture on the athlete.
The West Bengal Human Rights Commission also stepped in and directed the home, health and police departments to inquire into the allegations of 'torture' on the athlete in police and jail custody.