SC orders release of 84-year-old accused of raping minor girl

The Supreme Court on Monday allowed bail to an 84-year-old man from West Bengal after the DNA report refuted the charge made against him of raping a 14-year-old girl, resulting into birth of a child.

A bench of Justice Sanjay Kishan Kaul and Ajay Rastogi noted that the DNA report does not show that the appellant is a father of the child born.

"We have no hesitation in saying that the appellant should be enlarged on bail on the terms and conditions to the satisfaction of the Trial Court," the Court said.

The petitioner's counsel that the case was made out of a landlord-tenant dispute and he should be given appropriate compensation.

The Court said he can seek appropriate remedy available in law in this regard. It had earlier allowed his plea for the DNA test to ascertain if the accused was capable of performing sexual acts.

The victim had delivered a female child on July 5.

His counsel said the man suffered from various ailments and was incapable of performing sexual acts. He also expressed the willingness of the client to undergone DNA and paternity test. The man is in jail since May 12.

He challenged the validity of the Calcutta High Court's order of June 5 rejecting his bail plea in view of the gravity of charges.