3-Year-Old Girl Raped by School Staff in Delhi on Second Day of School, Accused Granted Bail

NEW DELHI - In a horrifying incident that has shaken the national capital, a three-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a 57-year-old school caretaker inside a private school in West Delhi's Janakpuri area on her second day of attendance . The accused was arrested on the same day but was granted bail by a court on May 7, sparking outrage from the victim's family and political leaders .

According to the complaint filed by the victim's mother at Janakpuri police station on May 1, the child had attended school on April 30 - only her second day after admission. When she returned home, she complained of pain. Upon questioning, the child told her mother that a man had taken her to an isolated area in the school where he sexually assaulted her .

Child Identified Accused, Prompt Arrest Made

Based on the mother's complaint, police registered a case under Section 64(1) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) , which pertains to punishment for rape with rigorous imprisonment of not less than 10 years, as well as Section 6 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act , covering aggravated penetrative sexual assault .

Police said the three-year-old victim was able to identify the accused - a 57-year-old caretaker who had been employed at the school for over three decades - leading to his arrest on May 1 . He was subsequently produced before a magistrate and sent to judicial custody .

Court Grants Bail Despite Prosecution Opposition

Despite strong opposition from the prosecution, Additional Sessions Judge Rohit Gulia of Dwarka Court granted bail to the accused on May 7 .

The court's order cited several factors for granting bail:

• CCTV footage allegedly showed the accused had left the junior wing of the school - where the incident took place - at 8:37 AM and did not return thereafter 

• The accused joined the investigation when called by police authorities 

• Nothing on record suggested the accused had tried to flee or interfere with the investigation 

• The medical examination of the child reportedly found "no injury or redness or any other mark" on her body 

Without commenting on the merits or demerits of the case, the court stated there was no requirement of keeping the accused behind bars for long . The court, however, directed the accused to stay away from the school premises till the completion of the trial .

Mother Alleges Police Harassment

The victim's mother has made serious allegations against the police, claiming that no proper action was taken immediately after the case was reported . She further alleged that the child and family were made to wait for several hours at the police station during the inquiry .

"A school teacher was involved and he was questioned during the police investigation," the mother alleged .

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Saurabh Bharadwaj strongly criticized the granting of bail, echoing the mother's claims and alleging that the DCP West threatened the family instead of cooperating with them . "Imagine a child being admitted to nursery in a private school and returning home on the very first day, only for the parents to discover that a 57-year-old caretaker raped the child," he said .

Police Deny Allegations, Vow to Examine Bail Order

The office of DCP (West) Vichitra Veer has strongly denied the allegations of harassment, stating in a release that "certain media reports alleging harassment or intimidation by police officials are false, baseless and contrary to the actual facts of the investigation" .

The statement said action was taken immediately after the girl was medically examined, the accused was arrested within hours of identification, the victim's statement was recorded before the court under Section 183 of the BNSS, and relevant CCTV/DVR footage along with other exhibits were seized as per law .

The police statement further clarified that "DCP West has never met the parents of the victim, as alleged on the contrary" .

Police have confirmed that they are examining the detailed bail order and considering further legal remedies, as per law .

Investigation Ongoing

According to police, crucial evidence including CCTV and DVR footage has been seized. Teachers of the junior wing of the school have also been examined as part of the investigation . Police said the investigation was conducted in a "fair, professional and impartial manner based on scientific evidence, forensic examination, witnesses' statements and the merits of the case" .

The accused has been in the news for reportedly having no prior complaints against him during his more than three decades of employment at the school .