A sessions court has permitted a sexual assault accused to visit his 75-year-old ailing mother for a few hours with a police escort at his own cost after he made a plea stating that he is worried about her health as she was being repeatedly hospitalized. The court said the visit may help improve her health.
While allowing him to visit his mother either at home or hospital, the court said it is considering the humanitarian aspect. The applicant Rajendra Thakkar is facing charges of unnatural sexual assault and offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act (POCSO). He has been in Thane Central Jail since his arrest in February last year after the crime was registered at Malad police station.
The intervener in the case had opposed his plea and said that it is normal for a 75-year-old to be in and out of the hospital. The court said in this regard that though it may be a routine or usual thing in the eyes of a third person, that the court is required to think from the perspective of the mother and son. "They care for each other and they feel good when they meet each other. The mother being old and being frequently admitted in the hospital may be a cause of concern for the son," the court said. It added that the meeting may even help to improve the health of the applicant's mother as it would have a positive effect on her mind.
Thakkar's advocate had cited hospital discharge summaries which showed that his mother suffered from chronic hepatitic failure, had insulin-dependent diabetes and hypertension.
