CHENNAI: A single judge of Madras High Court, Justice P Devadass, on Monday refused to grant anticipatory bail to police officials who feared arrest in connection with a child sex racket busted last year.
The judge reiterated that the identification parade of eight Puducherry police personnel was done after great difficulty and only after the court intervened.
The issue came to light when two girls aged 14 and 16 years, who were allegedly forced into prostitution, approached the Child Help Line last April seeking protection from sexual abuse and harassment.
Cases were booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) and Immoral Traffic (Prevention) Act.
After the Madras High Court intervened, an identification parade was held through video conferencing in which the victims identified the police personnel.
When the petitions came up for hearing on Monday, Justice P Devadass said, “The petitioners are not ordinary persons. They command a lot of influence and have men, money and material at their disposal.”
Stating that the possibility of the petitioners interfering with the probe could not be ruled out, the judge ruled that the court was not inclined to grant anticipatory bail to accused police personnel.