Maha: 20-year-old TN man held for rape in POCSO Act case gets bail

It is seen that the victim has attended the age of understanding the nature and consequences of the act she was indulged in, the order added.The court said the accused can be given bail as the investigation into the case was complete and the charge sheet had been filed, so the possibility of tampering of the prosecution evidence was, therefore, minimal.

The Thane district court in Maharashtra has granted bail to a 20-year-old man from Tamil Nadu accused of rape under Indian Penal Code and Protection of Children From Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act provisions, an official said on Thursday.

The man's bail plea was allowed on Wednesday by Additional Sessions Judge MB Patwari, he said.

A 17-year-old girl had gone missing on July 23 last year, and a probe that began after her father filed a police complaint ended with the arrest of the Tamil Nadu youth, the official said.

In his order, the judge said ''the record discloses that the applicant, a young man of 20 years, and the victim aged 17 years had a love affair'' and the ''victim joined the company of applicant on her own and went to different places with him''.

''During that period, they indulged in physical intimacy. As a result, the victim was impregnated. It is seen that the victim has attended the age of understanding the nature and consequences of the act she was indulged in,'' the order added.

The court said the accused can be given bail as the investigation into the case was complete and the charge sheet had been filed, so the possibility of tampering of the prosecution evidence was, therefore, minimal.