Orissa High Court Rejects Woman’s Bail Plea To Look After Daughter

Cuttack: The Orissa High Court has dismissed the application of a woman for interim bail to look after her daughter on the ground that the minor girl was unwilling to stay with her mother.

As per the case history, Sebati Sahu was sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering her husband by the District and Sessions Judge, Angul on October 28, 2015. She was convicted on the basis of the statement of her seven-year-old daughter Kaberi Sahu who was the eyewitness.

After the outbreak of the COVID-19, Sebati had moved the application in the high court for interim bail for two months on the ground that there was nobody to take care of Kaberi. Since the orphanage in Angul district where Kaberi is staying is not functioning properly due to lockdown, she wanted to take care of her.

On the order of the high court, Angul Collector conducted an inquiry and reported that Kaberi was not willing to stay with her mother. Rejecting Sebati’s bail plea, the division bench of Chief Justice Mohammad Rafiq and Justice Sanju Panda said, “Upon considering the letter of Collector and District Magistrate of Angul, and unwillingness of Kaberi to stay with her mother and taking into consideration that she is a bright student and has outstanding performance in her studies and also participates in extra-curricular activities, we do not want to cause any kind of disturbance in her studies and other activities.”

“Considering the facts and circumstances of the case, we are not inclined to release Sebati on interim bail. Accordingly, the Interlocutory Application (IA) stands dismissed. The appeal preferred by Sebati also stands dismissed being devoid of merit,” the bench said.