Bombay HC rejects bail of teacher who allegedly sexually harassed 10-year-old girl while taking selfie

Source:- dnaindia.com

The Bombay High Court has rejected the bail application of a primary school teacher who was charged with molesting a 10-year-old girl. Justice Mridula Bhatkar rejected the bail plea of Sagar Mohite, saying: “This offence cannot be justified in any manner as the applicant/accused is a teacher, who is in a position of trust and authority. He had asked for a sexual favour from the child when she was giving her examination. At this stage, I am not inclined to grant bail. Hence, the application is rejected. Mohite was charged under the serious charges of molestation, criminal intimidation and various section of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences.

As per prosecution, the accused was a teacher at the school of the victim, who didn’t study in his class. The teacher called the minor, patted her on the back and took a selfie with her. He reportedly threatened to kill the victim if she told anyone about the incident. Mohite even called up the parents to tell them that the victim wasn’t feeling well.

The parents rushed to the school, the victim later narrated the incident to her mother in the evening. The parents then approached the headmistress of the school and complained, who approached the police and lodged a complaint under sections 354A and 506 of the Indian Penal Code and also under sections 4, 5(f) and (p) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act. On the same day, the accused was arrested.

The accused pleaded before the court for bail since he was languishing in prison since October last year and if released he would not jump bail and be available before the concerned court for the trial.

The prosecution opposed the plea claiming it was a serious offence. Moreover, the police had recovered the mobile phone and found the selfie. The court agreed with the prosecution and rejected the bail plea and directed the concerned trial court to expedite the hearing of the case and conclude it on or before April 2017.