Badlapur Sexual Assault Accused's Parents Forced To Live On Streets, Beg For Survival: Bombay High Court Told

The Bombay High Court was on Thursday informed that the parents of the now deceased accused in the Badlapur sexual encounter case, have been surviving by begging on streets as no one is giving them any job and even they have been forced to leave their own house and live on footpaths.

A division bench of Justices Revati Mohite-Dere and Prithviraj Chavan was told that the parents of the deceased, who was allegedly killed in a fake encounter, had shifted to Kalyan as the villagers in Badlapur have chased them out of their own house.

"We were chased out by villagers, just after our son was picked up by the local police. We cannot go back to our own house as we apprehend threat to our life. We don't have a shelter now and thus we have migrated to Kalyan and we both (father and mother) are living on the footpaths, bus stands or railway stations. We are left with no option but to beg for food and money on the streets as after that incident no one is ready to give us any work," the mother of the deceased, who was present in the court, told the judges.

The mother further informed the bench that her house is also 'sealed' by bank officials, from whom, she had availed loan for her children's marriage. Since they now do not have any money or job, they have defaulted in paying the monthly EMIs and thus, the bank has taken the said action.

"My husband and I both were engaged in housekeeping jobs, we cleaned toilets, did scavenging etc earlier. But now no one is ready to give us any work. Our other son lives with his in-laws. We both live on the streets, begging," she added.

This comes after the judges, specifically asked the couple to remain present as their lawyer disputed the contention of Chief Public Prosecutor Hiten Venegavkar, who had in an earlier hearing, informed the judges, that the couple has refused police protection for them.

When the couple arrived in the court, the judges asked all the advocates, litigants, police officers etc to get out of the courtroom so as to ensure they (parents) do not feel pressurised.

Upon enquiring about their alleged refusal to protection, the mother explained, "Madam, it is not as if we do not need protection. We need protection. But just imagine if a police man will be around us 24X7, who will give us alms while we beg on the streets? Forget the jobs, no one will even give us alms, thus our survival would be an issue then."

Hearing the parents in detail, the judges sought to know from Venegavkar if they could be rehabilitated to some other place and not in Badlapur.

"There must be some scheme for providing jobs to them or some social service work. Consider rehabilitating them out of Badlapur," the judges said oral.

Further, the bench asked the police to examine the threat perception to the family within a week and take a decision if they can be given protection or not.

"Police protection must not hinder their livelihood or their bread and butter," the judges made it clear to Venegavkar.

The judges have now adjourned the hearing till January 13.