Dhenkanal: A special POCSO court Wednesday rejected the bail application of Fayaz Raheman, the main accused in sexual harassment of female inmates and child torture at a shelter home in this district.
The additional district and sessions judge, Khirod Kumar Das, who was in-charge of the POCSO court, passed the order rejecting the bail plea of Raheman. Earlier, the court had rejected the bail application of Raheman, the chairman of Dream Center shelter home owned by NGO Good News India at Beltikiri under Sadar police limits.
Public prosecutor Suleman Khan opposed the bail plea of Raheman during the hearing as the matter is under probe. Moreover, he might try to influence the witness if he gets bail at this stage. The police also submitted the case diary in the court Wednesday.
Acting on the direction of Maneka Gandhi, Union Women and Child Welfare Minister, a team from National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) will visit Dhenkanal to conduct a probe into the case.
Raheman was sent to a jail December 7 after his two-phase police remand ended.
Raheman, shelter home’s project director Simanchal Naik, and assistant director Udit Lima were arrested in connection with the sexual harassment and alleged trafficking of girls December 2.
Sources said the shelter home was operating for last two years without registration under the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015 and was sealed by the district administration after the sexual exploitation of the girls came to light
It may be mentioned here that there are 22 shelter homes of Good News India illegally running at different places of the state. District Collectors have been directed to shut those centres and take appropriate legal action against the concerned authorities.
