Garhwal Post Bureau
Nainital, 19 Jun: The Uttarakhand High Court has refused bail to 66-year-old contractor Osman Khan, accused of sexually assaulting a 12-year-old minor girl from the Dalit community and has directed the state government to present a report on the progress of the trial in the lower court. The matter came up before the bench of Justice Alok Mahra today, where the second bail plea of the accused was heard.
The defence argued that the trial court had already recorded the statements of key witnesses and that there was no longer any possibility of tampering with evidence. It was also submitted that the High Court had earlier dismissed the bail plea and instructed the Additional District Judge, Haldwani, to complete the trial within three months, which had not yet been concluded. On these grounds, the defence sought bail for the accused.
The court, however, declined to grant relief and ordered the trial court to submit its report within the stipulated period. It may be recalled that the case against Osman Khan was registered at Mallital police station after the victim’s family lodged a complaint alleging rape. The incident, which came to light on 30 April 2025, had sparked widespread outrage in Nainital, with angry crowds staging protests and vandalising property. The police had assured the public that strict action would be taken, following which the accused was taken into custody and has remained in jail since.
The gravity of the allegations led to strong social repercussions. The prominent local organisation Anjuman Islamia announced the social boycott of Osman Khan and his family, declaring that they would not be invited to any religious, social or family functions in Nainital. Even entry into mosques was barred for the family.
During earlier hearings, then SSP of Nainital, Prahlad Narayan Meena, informed the court through video conferencing that charges under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act as well as provisions of the SC Act had been invoked, as the victim belonged to a Scheduled Caste.
