ORDER

This Bail Application is filed under Section 483 of Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (for short “ BNSS ”).

2. The petitioner herein is the sole accused in Crime No.804/2025 of Shornur Police Station, Palakkad District, registered alleging commission of offences punishable under Sections 3 76(3), 354A(1)(i) and 449 of the Indian Penal Code , 1860, and Sections 8 , 7, 4(1), 3(b) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act , 2012.

3. The prosecution allegation can be epitomised as follows:

The accused is the survivor’s mother’s friend. The survivor is a minor girl aged 16 years. On a Saturday in between 01.01.2022 and 31.12.2022 while the survivor was aged 13 years at that time, the accused with the intention to sexually abuse her remained in the bedroom of the rented house, where the survivor was residing and put his hands through the inner side of the dress worn by the survivor and caught on the breast and abdomen of the survivor and inserted his fingers into the private part of the survivor and thereby committed the aforementioned offences.

4. Heard the learned Counsel for the petitioner, the learned counsel for the de facto complainant and the learned Public Pros