Team Goemkarponn
PANAJI:A Fast Track Special Court in Panaji has rejected the bail plea of a 50-year-old man accused of repeatedly raping an 80-year-old woman. The accused had claimed mental instability at the time of the alleged offences, but the court dismissed this argument, citing the absence of medical evidence.
Presiding Officer Pooja Kavlekar of the FTSC (POCSO) noted that the charge sheet contained no medical reports indicating the accused was of unsound mind. “When the accused was examined before being sent to custody, no doctor observed any signs of mental illness. Determination of mental fitness is a question of fact for trial, and cannot be grounds for bail at this stage,” the order stated.
The prosecution stated that in June 2025, the accused, a resident of Thivim, allegedly entered the elderly woman’s home and sexually assaulted her over three consecutive days. The court also noted a prior 2022 complaint in which the accused was alleged to have exposed himself and made lewd gestures toward another woman.
Defense counsel argued that inconsistencies in the victim’s statements and the accused’s purported mental instability weakened the prosecution’s case. The court, however, emphasized that a detailed examination of evidence is not permissible during bail proceedings.
Describing the alleged acts as “extremely heinous” and highlighting that the victim was a “helpless senior citizen living alone,” the court dismissed the bail application, noting that the matter is still at a preliminary stage of investigation.
