The Bombay High Court on Tuesday refused to grant anticipatory bail to the chairman and secretary of a school in Badlapur, Maharashtra, in connection with the sexual assault of two minor girls by a now-deceased school attendant. Justice RN Laddha, presiding over the case, emphasized that there was sufficient evidence indicating the school officials were aware of the incident but failed to act promptly.

 Accusations of Negligence

The case revolves around the sexual assault of two minor girls, aged four and five, inside the washroom of the school. The alleged assailant, Akshay Shinde, a male attendant, was arrested shortly after the incident. However, Shinde was later killed in a police encounter on September 23. According to a report by PTI, the court highlighted the failure of the school officials to report the crime, even though there were signs that they had knowledge of it before August 16.

“The victims are minors, and the trauma they have endured is likely to leave lasting psychological scars. The applicants, who are responsible for managing the school, did not fulfill their duty to protect the children or report the crime,” the court noted.

Delay in Reporting the Crime

The High Court sharply criticized the delay in filing the complaint, stating that it was primarily due to the negligence of the school authorities. Justice Laddha remarked, “There is a legal obligation to report such offenses once they are known. The delay in this case raises serious concerns about the reasons for not immediately alerting the authorities.”

In addition, the court expressed concerns over missing CCTV footage from the school premises, suggesting that crucial evidence had not been preserved.