Mumbai, September 17: The Bombay High Court recently granted bail to a woman arrested in 2022 for allegedly forcing a 15-year-old girl into sexual intercourse with her son-in-law. The woman accused not only forced the minor girl to have sex with her son-in-law but also with several workers at a mall. The victim and the accused reportedly worked at the same mall in Navi Mumbai.

According to a report in the Indian Express, the applicant knew the victim and her grandfather, both residents of West Bengal. As per the reports, the applicant woman had brought the minor girl to Mumbai eight years ago. The court released the woman on bail with stringent conditions while observing that the woman was in custody for over 13 months with no possibility of the trial concluding anytime soon. Mumbai: Two Steal Elderly Woman's Jewellery Worth Rs 5 in Vakola on Pretext of Giving Donations to Senior Citizens; Booked.

The court also observed that the accused woman did not have criminal antecedents while granting her bail. The woman, who had filed a plea before the Bombay High Court, was reportedly booked for sexually assaulting and criminally intimidating the minor girl. The accused woman was arrested in August 2022 under various sections of IPC and the POCSO Act.

In her statement, the minor girl said she was living with her grandfather in West Bengal as she had lost her parents as an infant. The victim said that the applicant woman brought her to Navi Mumbai and also got her a job at the mall she worked at. The minor girl allegedly claimed that the accused forced her to have sexual relations with other employees in the mall.

The accused even made the victim work at her daughter’s house, where the applicant's son-in-law sexually assaulted her. The woman's lawyer, in her defence, said that his client was "falsely implicated” in the case and also said that there was a delay in filing the FIR. On the other hand, the victim alleged that the accused took her to a doctor for "abortion". HC on Domestic Duties: Outdated Notion That Married Woman Should Do All Household Work Has to Shift, Says Bombay High Court.

The prosecution’s case was further weakened when the victim refused to undergo a medical examination for clarity in the case. Meanwhile, the police opposed the accused's bail plea, claiming she was the "mastermind" in the case. The police also stated that the applicant forced the victim to have sexual relations with her son-in-law and other accused mentioned in the case.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 17, 2023 01:25 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).