JH gang-rape: HC grants bail to fifth juvenile accused

HYDERABAD: The High Court on Wednesday granted conditional bail to the fifth juvenile accused in the sensation gang-rape of a minor at Jubilee Hills on May 28. With this all five juvenile accused in the case were released on bail. The Nampally court on Tuesday granted conditional bail to four juveniles accused in the case.

The counsel of the fifth minor, son of a legislator, who was also remanded at the Juvenile Home had already filed the bail petition at the High Court and the court heard the bail argument on Wednesday.

The fifth juvenile’s counsel produced the bail orders of four other juveniles who were granted bail on Tuesday, before the High Court. Assistant public prosecutor Sudershan Sara, raised an objection on technical ground that the application was not maintainable as the petitioner directly approached the High Court instead of filing an appeal petition at an appellate court of the Juvenile Justice Board, Nampally.

However, the counsel of accused Pradduynna Reddy, during the argument, stated that his client was the fifth accused in the FIR and it should be brought to the notice of the court that already four juveniles had been granted bail and there was no point of rejecting his client’s bail.

Despite the investigation agencies trying to file a counter, the counsel of the accused during the argument, finally got bail for his client, a police officer said.

However, all five juveniles were granted conditional bail whereas the prime accused Mohammed Saduddin is still in Chanchalguda prison. Based on the bail orders of the juveniles, and as he already spent more than 50 days in remand, his counsel also filed a bail petition on Wednesday that was dismissed by the High Court.  

The prosecution opposed all bail petitions during the argument, stating that releasing them might be a threat to the victim’s life and tamper the investigation, but the court dismissed prosecution’s argument and granted conditional bails, sources revealed.

Before granting bail, the Juvenile Justice Board ordered their counsels to cooperate with the investigation officers, sign before west zone deputy commissioner of police (DCP), record their attendance before DCP once a month and if inquired, be available before the court and the investigation officer, without fail.

As their passports have already been blocked, they cannot leave the country and the city without obtaining prior permission of the investigation officer. Apart from that, they were also warned not to tamper the investigation and try to contact the victim in any chance. All the accused had to furnish two sureties each of Rs 5,000.

After the juveniles came out on bail, some political leaders and women's organisations approached top officials in the police department to suggest that the victim’s family members be shifted to a secure place, police sources revealed. However, the victim was suggested not to go alone anywhere. Her previous number is still active but she is not using it. The police kept it activated deliberately to check if the accused tried to threaten her so that they could be prosecuted, police sources said.

Five of the accused hired separate counsels. Around 6.30 pm, no blood relatives had come to pick up the accused from Juvenile Welfare and Correctional Centre. Only drivers with some unfamiliar faces came in separate cars to pick the juvenile accused.

Parents of the accused hired city's high profile advocates who, apart from their fees, charge a minimum of Rs 10 lakh for a hearing, sources revealed.