Man Accused of Sexually Harassing Women Ordered To Clean Drain as Bail Condition

The order said, "The petitioner shall clean, maintain and supervise Nala (drain) situated in front of his house..."

Court orders accused to clean drain as a bail condition. Image used for representational purposes. 

(Photo: The Quint)

A local court in Bihar’s Madhubani district has ordered a man accused of attacking and sexually harassing women to clean and maintain the drain in front of his house as a condition for bail.

The order stated, “…he is directed to be released on bail on furnishing bail bond of ₹10,000 with two sureties of the like amount each to the satisfaction of the learned court below with condition that as per statement of counsel for the petitioner, the petitioner shall clean, maintain and supervise Nala (drain) situated in front of his house.”

The order was passed by judge Avinash Kumar, from Jhanjharpur in Madhubani, who was dealing with a bail plea by Md Rustam.

Rustam has been in jail custody for four months since 24 April 2021.

He was booked under Sections 341 (wrongful restraint), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 324 (voluntarily causing hurt by dangerous weapons or means), 354(b) (assault or use of criminal force to woman with intent to disrobe), 379 (theft), 504 (intentional insult to provoke breach of peace), 506 (criminal intimidation) read with Section 34 (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code.

“On the suggestion of the APP, the counsel for the petitioner has agreed that the petitioner shall clean, maintain and supervise the nala (drain) situations in front of his house,” the order noted.

All the other co-accused in this case had been granted anticipatory bail. The court allowed Rustam's bail given the time spent in custody his “clean antecedents", and that a chargesheet had been filed.

(With Inputs from Bar and Bench)