A special POCSO court in Mumbai has granted four-day temporary bail to an 18-year-old rape accused, allowing him to appear for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET) retest scheduled for June 21.
The accused, currently lodged in Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai, is facing charges of rape under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) as well as provisions of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.
The court granted temporary bail from June 18 to June 21 on a personal bond of ₹50,000 along with a surety of the same amount. The accused has been directed to surrender before prison authorities by 2 pm on June 22.
Advocate Kapil Vishwas Zodge, representing the accused, argued that the criminal justice system should support the rehabilitation and future prospects of young offenders. He submitted that the accused should be given an opportunity to appear for the medical entrance examination and continue his education.
The prosecution opposed the plea, citing the serious nature of the allegations against the accused. Special Public Prosecutor Chaitrali Panshikar suggested that if permission were granted, the accused should be allowed to attend the examination only under police escort for a single day. After examining the higher secondary examination certificate and the provisional NEET admit card submitted by the defence, the court found sufficient grounds to allow the temporary release.
In its order, the court observed that there were “perspicuous valid grounds” for granting temporary bail and noted that concerns raised by the prosecution could be addressed through appropriate conditions imposed on the accused. The decision enables the young man to sit for the NEET retest while ensuring that he remains subject to judicial oversight and must return to custody immediately after the examination.
