Considering “extra-ordinary circumstances”, the Supreme Court on Tuesday agreed to give an urgent hearing on August 1 to a plea against the acquittal of two Britons in a case of paedophilia by the Bombay High Court. The High Court on July 23 had acquitted Duncan Grant and Allan Waters of sodomy charges leveled against them by boys staying in a children’s shelter — The Anchorage Shelter — set up by Grant.The petition, filed by an NGO Childline India Foundation, was mentioned before the Bench of Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan by senior advocate Fali S Nariman. The NGO has sought an interim stay on the verdict acquitting the foreign nationals. Nariman contended that since the High Court had not stayed its own verdict to file an appeal, there was a possibility of the foreign nationals leaving the country. He said that once they leave the country, it would be difficult to get them back.Acceding to his request on behalf of the NGO, which is under the aegis of Ministry of Social Welfare and Empowerment, the Bench agreed to accord an urgent hearing. In its Special Leave Petition, the NGO said both the accused were brought to India after Red Corner Notices were issued against them. While Grant was traced to Tanzania and later moved to England, Waters was arrested from United States.The duo had been sentenced to six years of rigorous imprisonment by a trial court.
