New Delhi, 29 June (H.S.):

The Delhi High Court has quashed the bail granted to a school caretaker accused of raping a three-year-old girl in Janakpuri and ordered him to surrender to the court by 1 July. Justice Vinod Kumar, sitting on the vacation bench, issued the direction after hearing petitions challenging the lower court’s grant of bail.

The bail was challenged in the High Court through two petitions: one filed by the Delhi Police and the other by the victim’s mother. During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the police, argued that the trial court erred in granting bail. He noted that the case is being prosecuted under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, which prescribes a minimum sentence of 20 years’ imprisonment. The victim has identified the accused and recorded her statement regarding the incident.

Counsel for the accused denied all charges during the hearing and contended that the case would not withstand factual

scrutiny.

According to the complaint, the incident occurred on 30 April. The child’s mother filed a complaint at Janakpuri police station on 1 May, stating that the accused allegedly assaulted the girl on the second day after her admission to the school, during school hours. The child reportedly returned from school complaining of pain and, when questioned by her mother, said that the caretaker had taken her to a secluded area of the school and raped her.

Police say the child identified the accused, and he was arrested on 1 May. On 7 May, the Dwarka court granted him bail. A teacher has also been arrested in connection with the case; authorities allege that the teacher concealed the incident from the school administration.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar