Deeply Unfortunate Even After 80 Years Of Independence People Prefer Male Child: Bombay High Court
The Bombay High Court was considering a bail application filed by the accused booked under Sections 302 and 201 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
Justice M.M. Nerlikar, Bombay High Court, Nagpur Bench
The Bombay High Court has refused bail to a man arrested for killing his one-month-old granddaughter as the family did not want another girl child, noting it was unfortunate that almost 80 years after Independence, people still prefer a boy.
The High Court was considering a bail application filed by the accused booked under Sections 302, 201 read with Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
The Single Bench of Justice M M Nerlikar held, “It is deeply unfortunate that, even after 80 years independence, people in our country still prefer a male child. This is a classic example of the murder of a girl child, because she was the second daughter and the family does not want 2nd daughter.”
Advocate U.E. Quazi represented the applicant while Additional Public Prosecutor U.R. Phasate represented the State.
Factual Background
The case against Pradhan was lodged in 2023 by the police in Gadchiroli district in eastern Maharashtra under the charges of murder and destruction of evidence. He was accused of drowning his one-month-old granddaughter in a tub as she was the second girl child born to his son and daughter-in-law. A local resident, upon suspicion, informed the police of the incident, pursuant to which a case was lodged. Subsequently, the child's body was exhumed, and the post-mortem examination revealed the cause of death as asphyxia due to drowning.
The man, in his bail plea, claimed innocence and pointed out that the mother of the deceased child, who was also an accused in the case, had already been granted bail.
Reasoning
The Bench, in its order, noted that it was "deeply unfortunate that even after 80 years of independence, people in our country still prefer a male child."
It added that the infant was murdered because the family did not want another girl child.
"The family, all accused in the case, made a hue and cry that someone killed the child and created a scene that some animal may have taken away the infant," the High Court said, adding the cremation of the child was also done hurriedly.
The Court, while refusing bail to Pradhan, noted that the conduct of the accused and the manner in which the crime was carried out did not warrant any relief to him.
Cause Title: Gopinath Janku Pradhan v. State of Maharashtra (Neutral Citation: 2026:BHC-NAG:12016)
[With PTI Inputs]