“No Sexual Intent”: Court Grants Anticipatory Bail to Man Accused of Holding Girl’s Hand

GG News Bureau

Mumbai, 28th Feb. The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court has granted anticipatory bail to a man accused of molesting a minor girl by holding her hand, saying the victim’s statement indicated no “sexual intent”.

On February 10, Justice Bharati Dangre granted the accused, an autorickshaw driver, pre-arrest bail. On Monday, the detailed order was made available.

The father of the 17-year-old girl filed a complaint against the accused at a Yavatmal police station, and the autorickshaw driver was charged with molestation under relevant provisions of the Indian Penal Code.

According to the complainant, his daughter had been riding in the accused’s auto rickshaw for some time to go to college and tuition.

Despite her protests, the accused used to follow her after she stopped taking his autorickshaw.

On November 1, 2022, the accused held her hand and expressed her liking for her when she refused to sit on his motorcycle, the complaint stated.

The accused wanted to drop her home, but she resisted the attempt and rushed away from the spot, the complainant told police.

“From the accusations that are levelled, it can be seen, prima facie, there is no case of any sexual harassment as it is not the case of the prosecution that the applicant held her hand with any sexual intent,” the court said in its order.

“Assuming for a moment he expressed his liking for her, since there is no sexual intent indicated from the statement of the victim girl, prima facie, the accused deserves protection from arrest,” the court said.

The court warned the accused that if he repeated the act, the protection granted to him would be revoked.