Anticipatory Bail Denied to 63-Year-Old Uncle Accused of Molesting Niece
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In a stern judicial ruling underscoring the sanctity of familial trust and personal safety, the Punjab and Haryana High Court has dismissed the pre-arrest anticipatory bail application filed by a 63-year-old man accused of sexually assaulting and molesting his niece. Delivering the verdict in Chandigarh, the single-judge bench noted that the case materials placed on record—most notably a direct telephonic audio transcript between the accused and the victim—establish prima facie evidence of gross sexual misconduct. The court observed that given the advanced age of the petitioner and the close protective kinship that existed between the parties, the alleged abuse represents a grave breach of family integrity that warrants thorough custodial scrutiny rather than pre-arrest immunity.
Palmistry Pretext and Daring Escape: How the Incident Unfolded in Chandigarh
According to court filings and police documentation, the survivor had been residing at her maternal aunt and uncle's household for nearly a year to facilitate an easy daily commute to her workplace nearby. The alleged assault occurred when her aunt had traveled to their ancestral village to celebrate the festival of Raksha Bandhan, leaving the young woman alone in the house with the accused. Taking advantage of the seclusion, the 63-year-old allegedly approached her under the guise of examining an allergic skin reaction on her hand, before shifting into uninvited palm reading. The situation escalated rapidly as the accused touched her feet and subsequently attempted to touch her intimately beneath her garments. Terrified by the predatory advance, the victim managed to break free, fled the premises to seek sanctuary at a neighbor’s house, and immediately dialed the national emergency helpline number 112 before lodging a formal First Information Report (FIR) alongside her mother and legal counsel.
Incriminating Audio Transcript Nails Defense: Bench Rejects 'Untidy Room' Vendetta Theory
In his defense, the petitioner argued that the sexual misconduct allegations were completely fabricated and that he was being framed because he had previously scolded his niece for failing to keep her room tidy. The High Court, however, outright rejected this argument, pointing to a verified conversation transcript submitted by the prosecution in which the accused expressed deep remorse, characterized his conduct as a "monumental mistake," pleaded with the victim not to escalate the matter, and claimed the incident was dictated by sudden circumstantial lapse. The bench highlighted that these self-admissions provide strong prima facie corroboration of the victim's testimony, adding that it defies common sense to presume a young woman would manufacture serious sexual harassment charges against an elder relative over an ordinary household scolding about cleanliness.
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