HC rejects bail plea of basketball coach accused of sexual assault

Bench says man was in position of authority but betrayed the trust of a young student, directs trial court to frame charges

The Delhi High Court has rejected the bail plea of a basketball coach accused of sexually assaulting his 13-year-old student noting that “betrayal of trust at an early stage of life may inhibit the child from developing healthy interpersonal relationships in the future”. Justice Subramonium Prasad noted that the 57-year-old man, being the basketball coach of the girl and also known to her parents, “can be stated to be in a position of trust or authority of a child, as per Section 9(p) of the POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Act”. “The relationship between the Prosecutrix (victim) and the Petitioner is, therefore fiduciary in nature,” the judge said adding, “This compounds the severity of the matter.”