Youth forces relationship on school friend, court grants bail

The Sessions Court granted bail to an 18-year-old youth who was arrested by the Powai police in January for expressing his love to his school friend. The youth was put behind bars on charges under the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO) for two months. The court, while granting him bail, held that keeping the accused behind bars was not going to serve any purpose thus granted him bail.

The court, in its orders, held, "The accused is a young boy of 18 years and is a student. Looking at the allegations in the matter, there is nothing that needs any more investigation. The maximum punishment in such a case is of five years thus keeping him behind bars is not going to serve any purpose."

In January this year, the youth, Imran Sayyed, had approached his school friend and had expressed his love to her. He tried to propose to her a number of times but she denied. He allegedly forced her to have a relationship with him and allegedly threatened to approach her parents and inform them about their alleged relationship. On January 23, when the girl was on her way to her tution classes, the accused forced her to accept her proposal, saying that he could not imagine a life without her. Feeling intimidated by the entire scenario, she informed her parents about the incident who then approached the police and registered a complaint against the youth.