BENGALURU: In a rare case, the city sessions court denied bail to a 21-year-old, accused of attempting to kidnap a minor girl and threatening to kill her family. Rejecting the bail application, Judge Vijayalaxmi S Upanal, LIV Additional City Civil and Sessions Court said: If the accused is enlarged on bail, there is every possibility that he may again follow the victim and he may kidnap her by keeping her under threat. Taking into consideration the social impact and nature of the allegations, the accused is not entitled for bail. The accused, Manjunath, employed as a car driver and a resident of Ramakrishnappa Layout in the city was attracted to a 15- year-old girl and he forced her to love him back. He threatened to kill off her family if she did not accept him. He had also plotted to kidnap the minor as she refused his advances.
Fearing for the safety of the girl, her mother had filed a complaint at Peenya police station limits, and he was booked under various sections of IPC and POCSO Act on December 30, 2015.
Judge Vijayalaxmi said, in an order dated January 23, that though the offences alleged against the accused are not punishable with death or imprisonment for life, the allegations are heinous in nature and opined that it was not a fit case to grant bail.
Heroics
On December 30, 2015, the victim had gone for tuitions at Bagalakunte and was returning with her mother, when Manjunath attempted to kidnap her. As the mother and victim were about to cross the road near Bagalakunte signal, the accused, in a filmy style, came in a car and forcibly dragged the girl in and ran from the spot.
The mother, with the help of the public, chased the car and succeeded in stopping it near 10th Cross Soundarya Layout. The public caught hold and assaulted him. However, the accused had escaped from the spot.