Bengaluru daycare abuse case: Prime accused gets anticipatory bail

The prime accused in the daycare abuse case, who is on the run, has been granted anticipatory bail by a Bengaluru court on July 9. The accused, Manjula, the caregiver and supervisor at the daycare centre on the Capgemini campus, who has been named as Accused No. 1 in the case involving alleged cruelty to children, was absconding ever since the FIR was registered.

The FIR was registered based on a call to the Child helpline (1098). Manjula was booked under Section 351(2) of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), 2023, which pertains to assault or use of criminal force, and Section 75 of the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, which deals with cruelty to children by a person having actual charge or control over them. Both offences carry a maximum punishment of imprisonment up to three years.

“The accused has been granted anticipatory bail. We are awaiting her appearance before us for questioning in accordance with the court’s directions,” a senior police officer said.

The HAL police are waiting for her to appear before them for bail formalities, which is when she will be questioned. Investigators are probing the circumstances surrounding the alleged leakage of the video that brought the incident to light, and are examining whether it was circulated with an ulterior motive.