Court rejects bail plea of man who raped 75-yr-old

A sessions court has rejected the temporary bail plea of a 27-yearold who is in jail since October 2017 af ter being arrested for raping a 75-year-old footpathdweller.

Mahesh Kumar ’s advocate told the court that jail authorities are unable to maintain adequate social distancing between prisoners during the pandemic and sought temporary bail. Additional Public Prosecutor Kalpana Hire had opposed the bail plea stating that if released on bail he could threaten important witnesses or abscond as he is a homeless migrant from another state. Ad-hoc Additional Sessions Judge NT Ghadge said in her order that the matter is partheard and the testimony of the victim who is a helpless old lady has been recorded by the court. “Allegedly the accused has committed penetrative sexual assault on her..,” the court noted and said that considering the "gravity, nature and circumstances” in which the act was committed, “Court is of the firm opinion that the accused does not deserve to be released on bail, including in the nature of interim bail.”

As per the complaint registered at LT Marg police station, the woman was a footpath-dweller and made a living by selling dr y-fruits. The youth had been inebriated af ter visiting a countr y liquor shop nearby. He had dragged the woman around 1.30 am when she was asleep and taken her behind a parked vehicle and raped her. An offence of unnatural intercourse is also registered against the youth.