ORDER :

1. The petitioner/accused No.8 is before this Court calling in question proceedings in Special Case No.44 of 2023 arising out of Crime No.1 of 2023 of Belthangady Police Station registered for offences punishable under Sections 5(J)(II), 5(L), 5(Q), 6 and 21 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012 (‘the Act’ for short) and Sections 376, 376(2)(h), 376(2)(n), 376(3), 201, 313 and 34 of the IPC, insofar as it concerns the petitioner, it is under Section 21 of the Act.

2. Shorn of unnecessary details, facts in brief germane are as follows:-

The petitioner, a doctor by profession, having taken voluntary retirement from service now runs a hospital in the name and style of “Prashanthi Hospital” at Laxmisha Nagara, Chikkamagaluru. The incident that triggers registration of crime is that on 17-12-2022 between 13:00 to 14:00 hours, the 2nd respondent/victim comes to the hospital owned by the petitioner, seeking treatment. The victim is said to have entered the hospital with severe bleeding with decreased vitals and her condition was very serious due to such heavy bl