Mumbai: Man with ‘Peter Pan Syndrome’ gets bail in sexual assault case

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A Mumbai court has granted bail to a man suffering from ‘Peter Pan Syndrome' in connection with a case of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl.

Special Judge S C Jadhav on Monday granted bail to the 23-year-old accused on a bond of Rs 25,000 and several other conditions.

Appearing for the accused, advocate Sunil Pandey, stated that his client is suffering from the ‘Peter Pan Syndrome'- a term used to describe an adult male or female who is socially immature.

"The victim's family knew about their relationship. But, her family didn't like their relationship due to the boy's illness and poor background and also had a grudge against his family members," Pandey told the court.

The lawyer further said the victim had the knowledge of what she was doing and got into the relationship voluntarily.

However, special public prosecutor Veena Shelar opposed the plea and denied all the allegations made by the applicant.

The prosecution contended that there is prima-facie sufficient material on record to show the involvement of the applicant in the commission of the offence. There is no material on record about the illness of the accused applicant. If the accused is released on bail, he may tamper with the evidence in the case, the prosecutor said.

The court, after hearing the submissions, granted bail to the accused, saying his detention will serve no purpose as the probe into the matter is completed and nothing has to be recovered from him.

The court noted that the victim's statement "prima facie shows she herself left her parents'' house and joined the company the accused". The facts of the case indicate the girl (even though she is a minor) had sufficient knowledge and capacity to know full import of what she was doing and only thereafter voluntarily joined the applicant, the court observed.

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