The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday granted conditional bail to an 80-year-old man accused of raping a minor, taking into account his advanced age and the fact that he has spent more than five months in custody.

The man was arrested in June in connection with a case registered at Murutia police station in Nadia district.

Justice Tirthankar Ghosh noted the age of the accused and allowed the bail plea. The petitioner’s lawyer argued that the man had been falsely implicated and highlighted the prolonged detention as well as the delay in framing charges, despite the charge-sheet already having been filed.

According to the FIR, the man has been booked under Section 65(1) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, which prescribes punishment for rape of a girl under 16,

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