Srinagar, July 12: Bail for an accused person in last year’s gang rape of a juvenile girl was denied by a court here.
The police said that in September of last year, a dad reported the sexual assault of his daughter by four strangers to the Panthachowk police station.The complainant allegedly told police that one of the accused had become close with his daughter and had taken images of them together.”His daughter was blackmailed at a later time.”
The complainant claimed that he and the other accused had lured his daughter to Khonmoh under the guise of erasing the images, only for the four of them to sexually abuse her when she arrived at the meeting spot. After a month, his daughter repeated the story to him. Accordingly, on December 15 of last year, police said they filed a charge-sheet after conducting an investigation under sections 376-D, 506, section 3/4 of POCSO Act, section 392 of the IPC, section 354 (C) of the IPC, sections 352, 342, 506 of the IPC, sections 5/6 of the POCSO Act, and section 67 B(e) of the IT Act.
“In the instant case also, the accused has been charged for commission of offence u/s 5/6 of POCSO Act in addition to other offences under IPC, therefore section 29 of the same would be triggered against him and the presumption of innocence is not available to the accused,” read the order by Presiding Officer Fast Track Court For POCSO cases Srinagar, Aarti Mohan.”Without going into the merits of the statement, lest it may prejudice the accused in any manner, it is sufficient to say that the victim has supported her earlier statement recorded u/s 164 Cr.P.C in material particulars,” the court said.
The court found that the defendant did not provide any evidence to counter the presumption that had been made against him. The judge then denied bail for one of the suspects, Ruhail Farooq Lone.
