New Delhi: A Delhi court has granted interim protection from arrest to a man accused of rape, directing him to join the investigation while noting delays and gaps in the prosecution’s case.Additional sessions judge Kapil Kumar was hearing an anticipatory bail plea filed by Sanjay Jain in connection with an FIR registered at Keshav Puram police station. In the order dated March 17, the court said the applicant “deserves the opportunity to join the investigation”, noting that the FIR was lodged nearly five years after the first alleged incident in April 2021.The court directed that no coercive action be taken against Jain till March 28, the next date of hearing, and asked him to cooperate with the investigating officer. The court also noted submissions by the investigating officer that the complainant’s husband, who allegedly received obscene photos or videos, had “not provided any such material to the police so far”. It was further informed that the prosecutrix had “declined to undergo an internal medical examination” during the investigation. The prosecution opposed the bail plea, arguing that the allegations were serious and required strict scrutiny. Counsel for the applicant, Parvesh Dabas, argued that the case arose out of a commercial dispute that had been given a criminal colour. He submitted that the complainant owed “around Rs 40 lakh” for supplied goods despite repeated reminders and a legal notice. He also contended that the complainant and Jain had been in a consensual relationship since 2017, and that “the present case was filed only after relations turned sour over the financial dispute”. The allegations, he argued, were false and motivated to evade liability. Taking note of the submissions and the circumstances of the case, the court allowed the investigating officer to place on record further developments and any grounds for seeking custodial interrogation, if required, on the next date of hearing.