The Allahabad High Court has rejected the bail application of Pratap Singh, principal of a government primary school, accused of touching their private parts inappropriately with female students and used to show them certain sexually explicit material on his mobile.
A Single Bench of Justice Krishan Pahal passed this order while hearing a Criminal Misc Bail Application filed by Pratap Singh.
The Applicant seeks bail in Case under Sections 354, 354-Ka, 376AB I.P.C, Section 9M/10 and 5MF/6 POCSO Act and Section 3(2)5 SC/ST Act, Police Station Araniya, District Bulandshahr, during the pendency of trial.
Six children belonging to O.B.C and S.C category are stated to have discontinued going to their school and after asking them for the reason for doing so, they are stated to have revealed it to the informant that the applicant used to fondle with them and touched their private parts inappropriately and used to show them certain sexually explicit material on his mobile.
The FIR was instituted on 25.03.2024.
Counsel for the applicant submitted that the informant and the other family members of the other victims did not get any scholarship from the State, as such, the applicant has been falsely implicated in the case. The reason was that the students did not attend the school regularly. There is no medical report to corroborate the prosecution story.
A plea of alibi has been taken by the applicant as he was suffering from cough and breathlessness and was advised rest from 10.03.2024 to 25.03.2024 by the consultant chest physician.
Counsel for the applicant further submitted that the applicant was a previously cancer patient and there is every possibility of him again being affected by the said ailment as he is languishing in jail since 25.03.2024.
Counsel for the applicant also submitted that there is no criminal history of the applicant. He is ready to cooperate with the trial. In case, the applicant is released on bail, he will not misuse the liberty of bail.
The bail application has been opposed on the ground that the said children were of tender age from 9-13 years, as such the said offence committed by the applicant is of grievous dignity. The said medical certificate is fake and has been subsequently fetched by the applicant.
“After hearing the rival submissions advanced by learned counsel for the parties and taking into consideration the tender age of the victim i.e from 9-13 years, I do not find it a fit case for grant of bail to the applicant,” the Court further observed while rejecting the bail application.