The Kalyan sessions court in Mumbai granted bail to two school trustees who were arrested for not reporting sexual assaults at their school to the police. The court deemed the charges against them as bailable, but allowed the state-appointed special investigation team (SIT) to arrest them in a second case related to the assaults.
Protests erupted across the city after two minor girls were allegedly sexually assaulted. The trustees were granted bail upon furnishing a surety of ₹25,000. The police announced that they would complete the arrest formalities and present the trustees before the court the following day.
The SIT, along with the Thane crime branch, arrested Uday Kotwal and Tushar Apte, the school trustees, in Karjat. Kotwal was hospitalized for high blood pressure after his arrest and was discharged before being produced in court. The public prosecutor highlighted that the accused had hired the main culprit without conducting any prior inquiry and tampered with the CCTV footage, hindering the investigation.
The defence lawyer argued that the charges under Section 21 of the POCSO Act were bailable, citing high court orders. He explained that the charge-sheet had been filed, and no further investigation was pending. The lawyer also clarified that the trustees were not directly involved in the school’s daily operations.
The court agreed with the defence’s argument and granted bail to the trustees. However, the prosecutor and the investigation officer requested police custody for the accused in the second case, as additional sections of the POCSO Act were applied. They emphasized the need for further investigation to determine if any technical evidence had been tampered with.
The sexual assaults on the two four-year-old girls took place on August 12 and 13, and despite being informed by the principal, the trustees failed to take immediate action, leading to their arrest under the POCSO Act for non-reporting. It was also discovered that the CCTV footage at the school had been tampered with.
The community has been shaken by these events, and it is crucial for authorities to conduct a thorough investigation to ensure justice for the victims and prevent such incidents from happening in the future. It is a reminder of the importance of transparency, accountability, and swift action in cases of sexual assault, especially when children are involved.
