Delhi HC reserves verdict on bail of West Delhi caretaker accused of raping toddler

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, June 24, 2026, reserved its verdict on petitions seeking to cancel the bail of a 57-year-old school caretaker accused of raping a three-year-old girl inside a private school in West Delhi.

A Vacation Bench of Justice Vinod Kumar heard the petitions and announced that the court will pass its final order on June 29, 2026. The legal challenge was brought forward through separate petitions filed by the Delhi Police and the victim's mother, who is the complainant in the case.

The petitions seek to overturn a trial court’s order dated May 7, 2026, which had granted bail to the accused caretaker, Lalit Kumar. Kumar was arrested and booked under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act following the alleged assault inside the West Delhi school.

During the court proceedings, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju appeared on behalf of the Delhi Police. He strongly opposed the bail and urged the High Court to cancel the relief granted to Kumar. Raju contended before the bench that the circumstances of the case were highly sensitive and did not warrant a reprieve for the main accused by the trial court.

The legal battle has also been marked by allegations of intimidation. On Wednesday, Aam Aadmi Party Delhi president Saurabh Bharadwaj raised concerns, alleging that Kumar’s son had threatened the mother of the victim directly at the Delhi High Court.

Bharadwaj described the alleged confrontation as a deeply shocking incident. He stated that the mother of the three-year-old rape survivor reported being threatened by the accused's son while at the High Court for the hearing. According to Bharadwaj, the son of the 57-year-old accused threatened the mother, warning her that she would face the same fate as her three-year-old daughter.

The High Court's upcoming decision on June 29 will determine whether Kumar remains out on bail or is returned to custody.