Karnataka high court grants bail to radiologist accused in Pocso case

Bengaluru: Karnataka high court has granted bail to a radiologist from KR Pete in Mandya district who was booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act, following an inspection conducted by Lokayukta at various scanning centres on April 17, 2026.

The petitioner was arrested and arraigned as co-accused for his failure to comply with the mandatory duty of reporting the offence as provided under Section 19 of Pocso Act.

The allegation against the petitioner is that a scanning procedure was conducted on a girl under the age of 18 at his centre. On May 8, a special court refused to grant him bail.

Challenging this, the petitioner argued that punishment for the offence under Section 19 is provided under Section 21, which stipulates six months’ simple imprisonment with or without fine, and this is a bailable offence. He claimed that the offence under Section 19 cannot be equated with the other offences contemplated under Pocso Act.

Justice MGS Kamal, after perusing the materials on record, referred to an Orissa high court ruling holding that alleged non-compliance with Section 19 discloses a lesser offence for which the special court could not have refused bail to the petitioner-radiologist. The judge directed the man’s release on a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties for the like sum to the satisfaction of the jurisdictional court.