HARJEET SINGH Vs. STATE OF HIMACHAL PRADESH

JUDGEMENT

(1.) By way of this petition, prayer has been made for grant of regular bail in favour of the petitioner, who is in custody in connection with FIR No. 157 of 2018 dated 6th June, 2018 registered at Police Station Nurpur, District Kangra under Sections 376 and 506 of IPC as also Section 4 of the POCSO Act, 2012 and Section 3(1)(w) of the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act, 1989.

(2.) Petitioner is stated to be in custody since 6.6.2018. The allegation against petitioner is that the victim, who was 13 years old, was sexually molested by the petitioner, who happened to be the landlord of the premises where victim was residing with her father. Taking advantage of the fact that victim was a motherless girl and her father was working in Mandi Jasur, petitioner used to come to the room of the victim when she was alone and there he sexually molested her and outraged her modesty.

(3.) In this petition, notice was issued on 9.4.2019 for the day. Today, learned Additional Advocate General has filed the status report and he has also produced the relevant record of the case. On instructions he has apprised the Court that statements of the prosecution witnesses are presently being recorded by learned trial Court and for the said purpose, the case is now listed in the month of May, 2019.