Badlapur case: HC asks state to examine if accused’s parents require police protection

This came after the parents, who were present in the court informed the bench that while they were engaged in housekeeping jobs, now none is ready to give them any work and after a bank sealed their home in Badlapur for non payment of loan which they had availed for their other son’s marriage, they are presently living on the footpath begging.

A bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj K Chavan was hearing suo motu PIL initiated by it after taking cognisance of news reports over the sexual assault of two four-year-old children by a cleaning staff at a school in Badlapur of Thane in August.

The HC was addressing the issue of whether the parents of the accused cleaning staff killed in a police encounter can be granted police protection.

While the state lawyer said the deceased’s parents have refused police protection, their lawyer denied the same
When the parents were asked about their alleged refusal to avail protection, they told the bench that if the police personnel will be around us 24 X 7, who will give them alms while they beg on streets, therefore, their survival would be an issue.

Thereafter, the judges sought to know from the state government to examine within a week whether there was threat perception to the family and take an appropriate decision. The HC will hear the plea next on January 13