Mumbai Court Grants Temporary Bail to R*pe Accused for NEET-UG Re-Test, Survivor Raises No Objection

An 18-year-old accused in a rape case has been granted four-day temporary bail by a special POCSO court in Mumbai, so that he can appear for the re-test for the upcoming NEET-UG on June 21.

The accused, who is lodged in Taloja Central Prison, Navi Mumbai, has been granted temporary relief till June 21. He has been ordered to turn himself in to authorities by 2 pm on June 22, the day after the medical entrance exam.

The case has been highlighted as the court's order came after the rape survivor had said that she did not have any objection to the temporary bail, provided the accused did not threaten, defame or contact the family of the woman during the bail period.

The relief was granted by Special Judge S R Sharma on a bond of ₹50,000 with a surety of the same amount. The accused has been booked under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) for rape and Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, 2012.

The defence, during the hearing, had said that the teenager should be allowed to attend the national medical entrance exam and that being taken there under police escort could impact his mental condition and performance.

The prosecution had opposed the plea, arguing that the seriousness of the allegations warranted that the accused should be allowed to appear for the examination only for one day under police escort.

The court, however, after seeing the higher secondary examination certificate and provisional NEET admit card of the student, noted that there were valid reasons to grant him temporary bail. The judge said the issues raised by the prosecution could be addressed by imposing strict conditions.

The accused has been prohibited from communicating with the survivor, influencing witnesses, tampering with evidence or threatening anyone involved in the case as part of the bail order. The court has also asked him to give an undertaking to appear for the examination and give proof of appearance after surrender.

The case is coming at a time when thousands of students are preparing for the re-test of one of the most competitive medical entrance exams in India, the NEET-UG. The court's ruling underscores the need to balance the need for continued criminal proceedings with an accused person's educational opportunities during the pendency of the trial.