SRINAGAR: A local court in Bandipora district has granted interim bail to a lecturer accused of harassing a student.
District Principal and Sessions Judge Bandipora, Amit Sharma, approved interim bail for the accused during an open court session, with a surety bond of Rs 25,000. While on interim bail, the lecturer must appear before the Investigating Officer between 10:00 AM and 4:00 PM for questioning.
The court has imposed several conditions, including restricting the accused from leaving the Kashmir Valley without court permission and prohibiting any contact with the complainant to prevent potential threats or disruptive activities. Moreover, the court has mandated that the accused should not interfere with the prosecution’s evidence.
Earlier, the state’s Public Prosecutor had requested a seven-day remand for the accused, citing the early stage of the investigation. However, the accused’s counsel, Advocate AR Khan, opposed the remand application, arguing that it did not adhere to the guidelines set by the Supreme Court in the Satinder Kumar Antil Vs CBI & Anr. case.
The court noted that the investigating agency had not followed the proper procedures, as the FIR was registered on 09/10/2023, and the accused was arrested the following day, despite being issued a notice under section 41-A of CrPC to appear before the Investigating agency. The court deemed this practice contrary to the Supreme Court’s recent guidelines.
The court also considered the accused’s status as a senior lecturer with 54 years of age and 25 years of service in the education field. It emphasized that the duty of the investigating agency is to avoid hasty arrests unless substantial evidence is collected against the accused.
After hearing both sides, the District Principal and Sessions Judge rejected the remand application, stating that it contravened the guidelines established by the Supreme Court.
