Faridabad court denies bail to shooting coach accused in Pocso case

Prosecution cited CCTV footage, consistent victim statements and evasion by the accused; judge relied on case diary after lengthy arguments.

A special court in Faridabad on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of the national junior pistol team shooting coach accused of sexually assaulting a 17-year-old athlete inside a room of a five-star hotel in Surajkund on the pretext of a post-match discussion.

The absconding coach was suspended by the National Rifle Association of India on January 7 as police continue raids to arrest him. (Shutterstock)

The plea was dismissed after more than two-and-a-half hours of arguments before additional sessions judge Abhishek Phutela, a special court under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act.

Police officials said the court relied on prosecution findings and the case diary, which stated that the victim’s allegations fully matched CCTV footage from the hotel dated December 16, 2025. The footage showed the victim sitting in the lobby, being taken to a room by the suspect, and leaving after approximately 45 minutes. The suspect was also seen dropping her at the hotel portico and helping her into a cab, as alleged in the FIR.

A senior police official said the victim was not under any pressure, and her statements have remained consistent. Her account given during FIR registration at the Women’s police station in NIT Faridabad on January 6 was later corroborated by her statement recorded before a judicial magistrate under Section 194 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita. “In addition to this, details of the incident provided by the victim matched exactly with the CCTV footage video of the hotel at the incident time,” the officer said.

Police officials said the defence attempted to suggest ulterior motives behind the FIR, including defamation or financial gain, but no such evidence has emerged. They added that the victim belongs to a well to do family, while the accused has been evading investigators.

Faridabad police spokesperson Yashpal Yadav said the suspect’s two mobile numbers were switched off soon after police initiated a search. “Teams are still carrying out raids to trace his location and arrest him,” he said. Police said the victim had competed at the Dr Karni Singh shooting range on December 16 and later travelled to the Faridabad hotel at the coach’s insistence. She disclosed the alleged assault to her mother weeks later due to stress and sleeplessness, following which a police complaint was filed.

The accused was suspended by the National Rifle Association of India on January 7.