Man with 'Peter Pan Syndrome' gets bail in case of sexually assaulting minor

The man suffers from the "Peter Pan Syndrome" or when grown men and women avoid the personal and professional responsibilities of adulthood, his lawyer said.

A local court in Mumbai has granted bail to a 23-year-old man, with "Peter Pan Syndrome", in connection with a case of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl. Special Judge SC Jadhav on Monday granted bail to the accused on a bond of ₹25,000 and several other conditions, according to news agency PTI.

"Peter Pan Syndrome" isn’t a recognised mental health condition by the World Health Organization and is not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. (Representative Image)

The man's lawyer Sunil Pandey said that his client is suffering from the "Peter Pan Syndrome" or when grown men and women avoid the personal and professional responsibilities of adulthood. "The victim's family knew about their relationship. But, her family didn't like their relationship due to the boy's illness and poor background and also had a grudge against his family members," Pandey told the court, according to PTI.

Pandey said the girl knew what she was doing and got into the relationship with his client voluntarily. However, special public prosecutor Veena Shelar opposed the plea and denied all the allegations made by the applicant. The prosecution contended that there is prima-facie sufficient material on record to show the involvement of the applicant in the commission of the offence.

The prosecutor said that there is no material on record about the illness of the accused applicant and that if the accused is released on bail, he may tamper with the evidence in the case.

However, the court granted bail to the accused after hearing the submissions, saying his detention will serve no purpose as the probe into the matter is completed and nothing has to be recovered from him.

The court noted that the victim's statement "prima facie shows she herself left her parents' house and joined the company the accused". It also observed that the facts of the case indicate the girl had sufficient knowledge and capacity to know the full import of what she was doing and voluntarily joined the applicant.

According to Health Line, an American website and provider of health information, some adults find emotional and financial responsibilities challenging well into adulthood. "Peter Pan Syndrome,” the current name for this pattern of behavior, was first used by Dr Dan Kiley in his 1983 book, “Peter Pan Syndrome: Men Who Have Never Grown Up.”

"Peter Pan Syndrome" isn’t a recognised mental health condition by the World Health Organization and is not listed in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders. However, experts agree this pattern of behavior can have an impact on someone’s relationships and quality of life, Health Line says

The Peter Pan Syndrome is named after Peter Pan, the character in the play by Scottish novelist and playwright JM Barrie. The free-spirited and mischievous boy, who can fly and never grows up, spends his time on the island of Neverland.