Minor's sexual assault: Police to decide on case transfer

Anjali Pawar, a member of NGO Sakhee, moved the High Court alleging bias by Pune police into the investigations against Jondhale and eight others accused of sexually assaulting a 16-year-old boy at his farm house in Pune.

The case against Jondhale and others was filed by his son Sagar.

According to the public interest litigation, all the accused were released on anticipatory bail allegedly in connivance with the police. "The child is still in the custody of the accused persons. Hence we are seeking probe in the case by an independent agency like CBI or state CID," advocate Rohini Wagh argued.

A division bench of Justices A M Khanwilkar and K K Tated directed a committee formed by the police to hear the petitioner's grievance against the local police and decide if transfer of probe was required.

The petitioner has also sought for special courts to be set up to hear cases under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offenders Act.

The bench has directed the Principal Secretary of Women and Child Welfare department to be made a respondent in the PIL and posted the matter for hearing on January 30.

On August 18, 2012 Jondhale's son Sagar lodged a case with the Pune police alleging that his father and eight others had held the victim boy captive for several days and were sexually assaulting him.