Shelter Home Abuse: HC Rejects Bail Plea Of Good News India MD

Cuttack: Orissa High Court on Friday rejected the bail plea of Fayaz Rahman, managing director of NGO Good News India, in connection with the sexual abuse and religious conversion of minor girls and boys in a shelter home on the outskirts of Dhenkanal town.

Rahman apart, the court also rejected the bail plea of another senior staff of the NGO, Udit Kumar Lima. The court took the decision fearing possibility of the two influencing the course of investigation.

Dhenkanal Sadar Police had arrested Rahman on December 3 and taken him on a two-day remand following permission from Special POCSO (Protection of Children from Sexual Offences) Court.

After the remand ended, the police produced him before the POCSO Court on December 5. The police again took him on a fresh two-day remand the following day. He was sent to Dhenkanal jail on December 7 after the court rejected his bail petition.

Challenging the lower court order, Rahman moved the High Court for regular bail on December 19.

Hearing the bail plea of Rahman on January 12, a division bench of Justice Satrughana Pujahari had asked the state government to submit the case diary on sexual abuse at the Good News India shelter home in Dhenkanal.

Acting on the court’s directive, Dhenkanal Sadar Police on February 7 submitted a charge-sheet against Rahman and the shelter home in-charge, Simanchal Nayak.