IN THE HIGH COURT OF HIMACHAL PRADESH, SHIMLA Cr.MPM No.1203 of 2010 Date of decision : November 11, 2010 Gopal …Petitioner. Versus State of H.P. …Respondent. Coram The Hon’ble Mr. Justice Surjit Singh, Judge. Whether approved for reporting?1 For the Petitioner : Mr. Sanjeev Kuthiala, Advocate. For the Respondent : Mr. Vikas Rathore, Deputy Advocate General and Mr. Ramesh Thakur, Assistant Advocate General. Surjit Singh, J (Oral) Heard and gone through the record. 2. Petitioner has been booked for offences, under Sections 363 and 366-A of the Indian Penal Code, by Manali Police. Allegation against the petitioner is that on the night intervening 10th and 11th July, 2010, prosecutrix, aged about 14 years, was being carried in a Maruti Van by him. That Van was being driven by Tek Singh, a co-accused with the petitioner. One Jiwan, also a co-accused with the petitioner, was also present in that Van. That Van was intercepted by the police, at 3 a.m., at a place called Patlikuhl. On seeing that the prosecutrix was looking scared and nervous, police party questioned her. She told that she was being taken to Manali by the present petitioner. She also stated to the police people that she had been picked up from Mandi by two Whether reporters of the local papers may be allowed to see the judgment? …2… other persons, namely Manish Goel alias Raunik and Kartik, both from Mandi, who had brought her in an ALTO Car from Mandi to Thallout, where they transferred her to the present petitioner, after charging a sum of `5,000/- from him. Also, she stated that the petitioner was forcibly taking her to Manali and on the way he had been touching her private parts and telling her that she would be sleeping with him in a hotel at Manali, for which she would be paid `15,000/-. 3. Petitioner was taken into custody on the spot, alongwith the driver and Van and another person by the name of Jiwan, also a co-accused in the case. Ever since he has been in custody. He has moved the present petition for being released on bail. Looking to the seriousness of the offence as also the fact that the prosecutrix in the case is a girl of just 14 years, I do not think this to be a fit case for grant of bail. Hence, the petition is dismissed. November 11, 2010(sd) ( Surjit Singh ), J