Nainital: High Court Grants Major Relief to Mohammed Usman, Accused in Rape Case of 12-Year-Old Girl

Nainital: The Uttarakhand High Court has granted significant relief to Mohd. Usman—accused in a minor rape case—and residents of Rukkut in Nainital. The Municipal Council will now withdraw the encroachment removal notice it had issued to Usman and others. The council admitted its mistake for not adhering to Supreme Court guidelines in the matter.

Dr. Kartikeya Hari Gupta, advocate for Mohd. Usman, challenged the notice in the High Court, arguing that the Supreme Court clearly mandates a 15-day notice before removing encroachments. However, the Nainital Municipal Council had only given a 3-day window, despite the accused being in jail. Additionally, dozens of other residents in the area had received similar notices.

A special bench comprising Chief Justice G. Narendra and Justice Ravindra Maithani was constituted to hear the case. During the proceedings, Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Nainital Prahlad Narayan Meena appeared via video conferencing, while the Executive Officers of the Nainital Municipal Council were present in court.

The Municipal Council acknowledged its procedural lapse and informed the court that the notice would be withdrawn.

The High Court also expressed strong displeasure over the protests in Nainital following the rape accused’s arrest, reprimanding the SSP and the police department. The court advised strict handling of such cases.

The next hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6, during which the police and the municipal council are expected to submit compliance reports to the court.