Bail granted to woman arrested for killing 3-year-old daughter

A Mumbai court granted bail to a woman accused of beating her three-year-old daughter to death in 2018, citing that her trial is unlikely to start soon. The woman's lawyer argued that evidence suggested her brother was the main culprit, and that she has a minor son to care for. The prosecution argued that neighbours and the son identified her as the perpetrator. The court granted bail, stating that there was insufficient evidence of intent to cause death and that the woman had called the police for help.

MUMBAI: The sessions court has granted bail to a woman, who was arrested for beating her three-year-old daughter to death in 2018, primarily on the ground that her trial is not likely to start anytime soon.

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As per the prosecution case, the incident took place on March 15, 2018, when Salvatulla Shaikh, the brother of the woman, Nadara Shaikh, 35, visited her house in Govandi. The police claimed that the duo assaulted the child so badly that she died.

The woman later called the police and the girl was taken to a hospital where she was declared brought dead. The police then registered a first information report (FIR) and booked the woman for murder. Nadara was arrested on March 27, 2018.

The medical report showed that the death of the girl was caused due to blunt chest and abdominal trauma.

The woman had applied for bail on various grounds. Her lawyer Prashant Pandey contended that there was evidence to show that the main culprit was her brother, but he was not arrested. Besides, he argued that it has been five years since she was arrested and lodged in prison when she has a minor son to look after. He said that the trial in the case has not even commenced and would take a long time to conclude.

After hearing arguments from both sides, the court granted bail to the woman, observing that “there is no sufficient material to suggest that the applicant had intention to cause the death of her own minor daughter aged about only three years. It is not that any weapon was used for causing the death of the child.”

“It appears that it was the applicant who had called the police and sought their help to take the child to the hospital. Furthermore, though more than five years have elapsed after the arrest of the applicant and the trial has not commenced yet,” the court said while granting the bail.