HC denies bail to school bus driver in sexual assault case, says offence heinous

The Bombay High Court has denied bail to a school bus driver arrested for sexually assaulting a minor girl student in 2023, noting that the offence was “serious, grave and heinous”.

A single bench of Justice Madhav Jamdar also directed for the trial in the case to be concluded expeditiously.

A copy of the order dated March 20 was made available on Tuesday.

Justice Jamdar said the accused was entrusted with the duty of safely ferrying children to and from the school, and his conduct of stopping the vehicle, taking the victim girl to a secluded spot and sexually assaulting her was a very “serious, grave and heinous” offence.

The bench dismissed the accused`s plea seeking bail, saying no case was made out.

According to the prosecution, the accused had sexually assaulted a Class 2 student.

The accused sought bail, citing that he has been in jail since March 2023 and has completed one-third of the maximum sentence that can be imposed on him if convicted.

Justice Jamdar stated that even while granting bail on the grounds of long incarceration, the court has to consider the nature and gravity of the offence committed.

“The material on record clearly shows the involvement of the applicant accused in a very serious and heinous crime where the girl child of eight years has been subjected to sexual assault,” the court said.

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