The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted conditional bail to an 80-year-old man accused of raping a minor, taking into account his advanced age and the fact that he has spent more than five months in custody.
The man was arrested in June in connection with a case registered at Murutia police station in Nadia district.
Justice Tirthankar Ghosh noted the age of the accused and allowed the bail plea. The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the man had been falsely implicated and highlighted the prolonged detention as well as the delay in framing charges, despite the charge-sheet already having been filed.
According to the FIR, the man has been booked under Section 65(1) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which prescribes punishment for rape of a girl under 16, and Section 6, which deals with aggravated penetrative sexual assault.
The defence submitted that the prosecution intends to examine 16 witnesses, indicating that the trial is unlikely to conclude soon.
Opposing the bail, the state’s counsel referred to the victim’s statement recorded before a magistrate and medical documents supporting the allegations.
Granting bail, the court directed that the accused be released on furnishing a bond of ₹20,000 with two sureties of ₹10,000 each, one of whom must be a local resident. Justice Ghosh further ordered that the petitioner must remain physically present on every date fixed by the trial court and cannot leave Nadia district without prior permission.
