DIMAPUR — The Kohima Bench of Gauhati High Court has directed the Special Judge, POCSO Court, Mon, to decide a pending bail application within a week after noting that the plea had remained undecided for more than two months.

Justice Yarenjungla Longkumer passed the order on September 3 while disposing of a bail petition in connection with a case registered at Tizit Women Police Station under Sections 74 and 75(ii) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), along with Section 8 of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act.

The accused has been in custody since May 3. His counsel filed a bail application before the Special Judge, POCSO Court, Mon, on June 29, according to the High Court order.

The application was placed before the Special Judge the following day, and July 21 was fixed for hearing. The hearing, however, could not take place as the presiding officer was unavailable due to personal difficulties.

The counsel visited the court again on July 27 and was informed that the next available cause list was scheduled for August 18 to 24. The counsel subsequently returned to Kohima on August 3, the order stated.

On August 17, the counsel contacted the court’s peshkar to check on the judge’s availability and was informed that the presiding officer was out of station on medical grounds.

The counsel then sought to have the bail matter heard through video conferencing, but the request could not be arranged because of technical difficulties, according to the order.

Taking note of the delay, the High Court observed that more than two months had passed since the bail application was filed, while the accused had remained in custody since May. It directed the Special Judge, POCSO Court, Mon, to dispose of the pending bail application within one week of receiving the High Court’s order.

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