13-Jan-2025 11:08 PM
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Mumbai, Jan 13 (Reporter) The Bombay High Court on Monday said the trial in last year’s Badlapur school sexual assault case should be fast-tracked and conducted expeditiously as the victim girls are very young.
A HC Division bench, comprising Justices Revati Mohite Dere and Neela Gokhale, made the observation after public prosecutor Hiten Venegaonkar informed the bench, that the investigation was complete, the chargesheet had been filed, and the trial was set to proceed.
The High Court had taken suo motu cognisance of the incident after it emerged that the local Badlapur police had delayed lodging a First Information Report (FIR).
In August last year, a male attendant sexually assaulted the two girls – aged four and five – inside the toilet of their school located in Badlapur area of Maharashtra’s Thane district.
During the hearing, the court also noted that, as mandated under the POCSO Act, a female prosecutor would need to be present when the girls are examined. Venegaonkar confirmed that a female prosecutor had been appointed to assist the special public prosecutor in the case...////...