NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court on Monday cancelled the bail granted to a 57-year-old private school caretaker accused of raping a three-year-old girl on the institution’s premises in west Delhi’s Janakpuri. The judge directed the accused to surrender by July 1.
A vacation bench of Justice Vinod Kumar passed the order on the applications moved by Delhi Police and the complainant against the trial court’s May 7 decision to release Lalit Kumar on bail. “I have agreed with the State and the petitioner (complainant).
Both petitions are allowed. Accused Lalit Kumar is directed to surrender before the jurisdictional POCSO court on July 1 at 2 pm,” the judge said.
Representing Delhi Police, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju submitted that it was a clear case of aggravated penetrative sexual assault under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, punishable with a minimum of 20 years’ jail, as the child had identified the perpetrator and made specific allegations.
The incident came to light on May 1 when the girl’s mother filed a complaint at the Janakpuri police station, alleging that her daughter was sexually assaulted during school hours by the accused. According to the complaint, the child had gone to school on April 30. After returning home, she complained of pain. When questioned, the girl said she was taken to an isolated area in the school, where the accused allegedly assaulted her.