Kishtwar Court Rejects Bail Pleas of Three Accused in Minor Girl’s Death Case

Kishtwar Court Rejects Bail Pleas of Three Accused in Minor Girl’s Death Case

Kishtwar: The Court of Principal Sessions Judge Kishtwar, presided over by Sudhir Kumar Khajuria, has rejected the bail applications of three accused persons, including staff nurse Sonika Parihar, hospital sanitation worker Zareena Begum and Peer Baksh, in a case involving the alleged sexual assault of a minor girl, an attempt to terminate her pregnancy and her subsequent death.

In separate orders passed on October 10, 2026, the court declined to grant bail to the three accused, observing that the investigation was still underway and material evidence had been collected.

In the case of Sonika Parihar, the prosecution alleged that she, while posted as a staff nurse at District Hospital Kishtwar, advised medicines in connection with an alleged attempt to terminate the minor’s pregnancy. The court noted that witness statements recorded under Section 183 BNSS and call detail records had been collected, while the investigation remained ongoing.

Regarding Zareena Begum, who was working as a sanitation worker at the hospital, the prosecution alleged that she performed an episiotomy on the minor girl in the labour room without obtaining the requisite permission or advice from the concerned doctors or nursing staff. The court rejected her bail plea, noting that the investigation was continuing and that witness statements and call detail records had been collected.

In the case of Peer Baksh, the prosecution alleged that he organised meetings described as Grameen Panchayats at his residence and pressured the victim’s family not to approach the legal authorities. The prosecution further alleged that he was part of a conspiracy involving other accused persons in connection with the pregnancy’s termination. The court observed that witness statements and call detail records had been collected and that the investigation was still in progress. It also noted that the medical records produced by Peer Baksh reflected a hospital admission from August 24 to 26, 2026, but did not indicate a life-threatening condition warranting bail at this stage.

The case stems from the death of a minor girl, whose school records reportedly established her age as below 16 years. According to the prosecution, the girl became pregnant following alleged sexual assault and died while being shifted to Jammu after developing complications. A premature male foetus was also delivered during the sequence of events.

The case is being investigated by the Special Crime Wing of the Crime Branch Jammu and involves provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, the POCSO Act and the Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes (Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

The court reiterated that bail cannot be claimed as a matter of right and that the seriousness of the allegations, the material collected and the stage of investigation are relevant considerations. The allegations against the accused remain subject to proof during trial.

Advocate Rajesh Sharma appeared for Sonika Parihar, Advocate V.K. Sharma for Zareena Begum, and Advocate Safder Ali Shoket for Peer Baksh.

Public Prosecutor Anshuman Dubay and Advocate Irfan Khan appeared for the prosecution and the victim, respectively.