A Mumbai Sessions court has granted bail to a school peon accused of sexually assaulting an eight-year-old girl, noting that he had been suspended from his job and would not encounter the victim at school. The bail was granted five months after the peon’s arrest.

Special Judge NS Shaikh, presiding over the case under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, considered the peon’s bail application, which was opposed by both the prosecution and the victim’s mother.

The prosecution alleged that in March 2024, the girl refused to go to school, complaining of severe pain in her private parts. Her mother took her to a doctor, but the pain persisted. Later, the girl revealed that for four months, a man at the school had been taking her to a storeroom and assaulting her. The accused allegedly threatened her with dire consequences if she spoke out.

Advocate Prakash Salsingikar, representing the accused, argued that the complaint was initially filed against an unknown person and that the girl had given three different accounts in her statements. He also pointed out that the peon had worked at the school for 19 years without any prior allegations and that he was absent from school on the day the girl claimed was the last incident.

Special Public Prosecutor VD More opposed the bail, citing concerns that the peon might threaten the victim or tamper with evidence if released. The victim’s mother also expressed similar fears, stating that her daughter was traumatized and urging the court to deny bail.

The judge, after reviewing the case, noted inconsistencies in the girl’s statements and observed that the school had over 80 CCTV cameras, whose footage was collected by the police. The judge acknowledged the prosecution’s concerns but stated that the investigation was complete, and a charge sheet had been filed, reducing the risk of evidence tampering.

“Since the accused is suspended from the school, there is no risk of him confronting the victim at school. The trial will take time to begin, and keeping the accused in custody during this period would not be productive,” the judge said, granting bail to the accused.