Premium

Faridabad court rejects bail plea of shooting coach accused in POCSO case

Additional District and Sessions Judge Abhishek Phutela of the special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court dismissed the bail plea filed earlier this week.

Fast-track court in Faridabad rejects anticipatory bail plea of shooting coach Ankush Bhardwaj in minor sexual assault case.Fast-track court in Faridabad rejects anticipatory bail plea of shooting coach Ankush Bhardwaj in minor sexual assault case. (Photo for representation)

A fast-track court in Faridabad on Thursday rejected the anticipatory bail plea of shooting coach Ankush Bhardwaj in connection with the sexual assault of a minor at a city hotel.

Additional District and Sessions Judge Abhishek Phutela of the special Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) court dismissed the bail plea filed earlier this week. Bhardwaj, who is now absconding, stands accused of aggravated penetrative sexual assault of the girl he was training.

The National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) suspended the accused coach earlier in January after the Faridabad police lodged an FIR against him, its Secretary Rajiv Bhatia had said.

According to the police, the FIR was registered on January 6 under Section 6 of the POCSO Act, which pertains to aggravated penetrative sexual assault, and Section 351(2) of the BNS for criminal intimidation.

Bhardwaj (33), a former shooter, runs a shooting academy in Mohali. The police have raided the academy and his residences at Ambala and Chandigarh.

The minor’s parents, in a joint statement earlier, had said that they were “deeply traumatised” and “focused on taking care of (their daughter’s) health”. They also said, “As parents, we do not want anyone else to suffer the same fate.”

Police sources had said the FIR recorded the complainant as stating that the alleged incident occurred on December 16, after she participated in a national competition. They added that according to the complaint, Bhardwaj allegedly forcibly touched her inappropriately and committed sexual assault despite her resistance. He allegedly threatened to ruin her shooting career if she disclosed the matter to anyone, the complaint stated, said sources.

Abhimanyu Hazarika is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express, based in Gurgaon. He covers southern Haryana. Education - Post-Graduate Diploma in Print Media, Asian College of Journalism (Class of 2020) - B.A. (Hons) Liberal Arts with a major in Political Science, Symbiosis School for Liberal Arts (Class of 2019) Professional Experience Before joining The Indian Express, he worked with Bar & Bench (legal journalism) and Frontline magazine, where he developed experience in court reporting, legal analysis, and long-form investigative features. Reporting Interests His work centres on civic accountability, environmental policy, urban infrastructure and culture, crime and law enforcement, and their intersections with politics and governance in and around Gurgaon. Recent Coverage (2025) - Crime: Reported on the recovery of 350 kg of explosives and an AK-47 from a rented house in Faridabad, linked to the 2025 Red Fort car explosion case (November 11, 2025). - Environmental policy: Covered protests outside a Haryana minister’s residence against a Supreme Court order that environmentalists argue could allow mining and real estate development on large parts of the Aravalli hills (December 21, 2025). - Pollution control measures: Co-authored coverage of the Rekha Gupta government’s enforcement of vehicle restrictions at Delhi-NCR borders (December 21, 2025). - Road safety and infrastructure: Examined response lapses in the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway hit-and-run case and ongoing investigations into high-speed road crimes in Gurugram. - Animal welfare policy: Reported on concerns regarding the low budget allocated for stray dog sterilization by the Municipal Corporation of Gurugram (November 30, 2025). - Urban culture: Featured the social media-driven popularity of a new Magnolia Bakery outlet in Gurugram (December 15, 2025). Contact X (Twitter): @AB_Hazardous ... Read More

Stay updated with the latest - Click here to follow us on Instagram

Latest Comment
Post Comment
Read Comments
Advertisement
Loading Taboola...
Advertisement