Bombay High Court Denies Bail To School Officials In Badlapur Sexual Assault Case

The Bombay High Court has refused to grant pre-arrest bail to the chairman and secretary of a school in Badlapur, Maharashtra, where two minor girls were allegedly sexually assaulted by a male attendant. Justice RN Laddha ruled that there was prima facie evidence suggesting the officials were aware of the incident before August 16 but failed to report it to authorities.

The court emphasized the severe psychological impact such trauma can have on minors, stating, "The victims are minors. The trauma they have endured can profoundly affect their adolescent years, leaving them with lasting psychological scars."

Justice Laddha noted that the delay in lodging the case was primarily due to the officials' negligence. The court also pointed out the absence of CCTV footage from the day of the incident, raising further concerns about the school's handling of the situation.

In a separate development, a division bench of the High Court criticized the Special Investigation Team (SIT) for its inability to apprehend two accused school trustees who remain at large. Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Prithviraj Chavan questioned the police's efforts, expressing surprise at their failure to arrest the suspects given their usual tenacity in such cases.

Advocate General Birendra Saraf assured the court that all efforts were being made to locate and arrest the absconding trustees. The court has scheduled the next hearing for October 23, maintaining its suo motu cognizance of the case initiated in August.

This case has sparked widespread concern and led to protests in the region, prompting the Maharashtra government to mandate the installation of CCTV cameras in all schools across the state.