Court dismisses bail plea of Age scribe’s molester

New Delhi: While dismissing a bail application of the accused, who was recently arrested for molesting and attacking a woman journalist of this newspaper inside the ITO Metro station, a city court on Sunday observed that miscreants, who commit offences against women, particularly at public places, deserve to be dealt with an iron hand.

The ITO Metro station molestation case hit the headlines after the police lodged the FIR and arrested the accused. The shameful act was caught on CCTV cameras installed inside the Metro station premises. The accused has already refused to participate in the test identification parade.

Barely a few minutes after accused, Akhlesh Kumar, attacked the journalist, he indulged in a similar criminal and shameful act against a young woman lawyer at the same place. Also, a similar case is pending against the offender at the Barakhamba Road police station.

The victim’s statements under Section 164 of CrPC are yet to be recorded by the court. The accused, who had been remanded to a 14-day judicial custody, moved the bail plea before the magisterial court on the ground that he had been implicated in the case.

During hearing of the bail application, assistant commissioner of police Ranjit Kumar, SHO Babbar Bhan, and investigating officer K.K. Kaushik were present in court.

Dismissing the bail application, magistrate Sumeet Anand observed, “The society at large and public places in particular deserve to be the safest place for public at large, especially women. Delhi Metro stations, the lifeline of commuting population of Delhi through public transport, needs to be safe enough so that anyone at any point of time doesn’t have to think twice before boarding the Delhi Metro from anywhere in Delhi.”