Pune: Special Court Grants Bail to Karvenagar School Director in Student Abuse Case
Pune, 27th December 2024: A special court on Friday granted bail to the director of a Karvenagar school who was arrested on December 19 under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act. The arrest followed allegations of sexual abuse involving four minor students by the school’s dance teacher.
In the bail order, Special Judge K.P. Kshirsagar stated, “There are justifiable grounds to release the applicant/accused on bail at this stage. Hence, the application deserves to be allowed.”
The judge further observed, “Considering the nature and gravity of the offence, the age and antecedents of the applicant, and a prima facie review of the evidence, releasing the applicant on bail at this stage is not likely to harm the larger interest of society.”
The court granted bail on the condition that the accused execute a personal release bond of ₹50,000 with one or more sureties for the same amount. The bail order also restricts the school director from tampering with evidence or attempting to influence prosecution witnesses in any manner. Additionally, the accused has been directed to cooperate with the trial to ensure its timely resolution.
Defense lawyers Sudhir Shah and Rohit Tulpule, representing the school director, stated, “We argued that there is no prima facie case against our client under the Juvenile Justice Act. According to the 2022 amendments to the Act, the alleged offence is classified as non-cognizable. We are confident that our client will be released from Yerawada jail on Saturday after the completion of bail formalities.”
The case originated from the December 19 arrest of the school director under Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice Act, which pertains to cruelty to children. Police maintained that the school management bore responsibility for ensuring the safety and security of its students.
Following the arrest, the director was remanded to judicial custody at Yerawada Jail. A regular bail application was subsequently filed and heard by the special court, culminating in Friday’s order.
