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Synopsis

The Allahabad High Court recently granted bail to a 70-year-old man accused of engaging in unnatural sexual acts with a cow under his care.

The bench of Justice Jaspreet Singh allowed the bail plea of accused Ram Khelawan without expressing any opinion on the case's merit.

The accused had been booked under Sections 377,504,506 of the Indian Penal Code & Section 11 of the Cruelty to Animals Act. According to the First Information Report (FIR), the accused had been caring for the complainant's cow for several years. Suspicions arose about the accused's conduct with the cattle, and in July 2023, received a video from unidentified individuals corroborating these suspicions.

Pleading for bail the counsel for the accused submitted before the court that the accused was innocent and had been falsely implicated in the matter. He stressed that the accused was a senior citizen and he had no previous criminal history.

The counsel contended that the allegations contained in the FIR were absolutely false, improbable and concocted. He argued that there was nothing on record which could indicate that on the basis of the alleged video, the accused had been apprehended.

Additionally, it was argued that the accused posed no flight risk or threat to tamper with witnesses if released on bail. The court was assured that the accused would not misuse the privilege of bail.

Considering the submissions from both sides and the details of the case, the court granted bail. Court took into account the seriousness of the allegations, potential punishment upon conviction, duration of incarceration, and the absence of concerns raised by the government advocate regarding flight risk, evidence tampering, or witness interference by the accused.

Accordingly, court ordered the accused to released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond with two reliable sureties each in the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned.

Case Title: Ram Khelawan v. State Of U.P. Thru. Prin. Secy. Home Lko.