Mumbai Court Grants Temporary Bail To POCSO Accused To Write NEET Exam

A special POCSO court in Mumbai has allowed an 18-year-old rape accused to step out of prison for four days so he can appear for the NEET-UG re-examination on June 21, while imposing strict conditions to protect the survivor and the integrity of the case.

Special Judge S R Sharma granted temporary bail from June 18 to June 21 to the accused, who is currently lodged in Taloja Central Prison in Navi Mumbai. The order requires him to surrender before prison authorities by 2 pm on June 22.

The case has drawn attention because it places two competing concerns before the court: the seriousness of allegations under the POCSO Act and rape provisions, and the right of an undertrial to pursue education and appear for a competitive examination.

Mumbai POCSO court sets conditions for NEET retest bail
The accused has been booked under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita for rape and under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012. The court granted relief after examining his higher secondary examination certificate and provisional NEET admit card submitted by the defence.

The court directed the teenager to furnish a bond of Rs 50,000 and a surety of the same amount. He has also been asked to submit an undertaking that he will appear for the examination and provide proof of attendance when he returns to prison.

While allowing temporary bail, the judge barred the accused from contacting the survivor, tampering with evidence, or influencing witnesses through inducement, threats or pressure. These restrictions will remain central to the limited relief granted by the court.

The survivor expressed no objection to the bail plea, but on the condition that the accused should not defame or threaten her family. The court took note of the prosecution's concerns and said they could be addressed through appropriate safeguards.

Special Public Prosecutor Chaitrali Panshikar opposed the application, citing the seriousness of the allegations. The prosecution suggested that the accused be allowed to take the examination only under police escort and only for the examination day.

Advocate Kapil Vishwas Zodge, appearing for the accused, argued that the justice system also recognises rehabilitation and future correction. He submitted that the young man should be given a chance to sit for the medical entrance test and prepare for it properly.

The defence also argued that preparation under police escort would affect the accused's mental state. After considering the documents, the court said there were "perspicuous valid grounds" to grant temporary bail, subject to conditions.

NEET-UG re-exam on June 21 after paper leak allegations

The bail order comes as the National Testing Agency prepares to conduct the NEET-UG 2026 re-examination on June 21. The original examination was held on May 3, but was cancelled on May 12 following allegations of a paper leak.

The Central Bureau of Investigation is investigating the alleged leak. The re-examination is being conducted for admissions to undergraduate medical courses, making the June 21 test critical for candidates seeking entry into MBBS, BDS and other medical programmes.

The NTA has separately issued a safety advisory for candidates appearing in the re-exam. It said reminder SMS messages, emails and WhatsApp notifications are being sent to candidates who have not yet downloaded their new admit cards.

According to the agency, legitimate SMS messages will be sent from the sender ID "NICPEP", while official emails will come from "[email protected]". The NTA has advised candidates to use only the official website, neet.nta.nic.in, for downloading admit cards.

The agency has warned students not to click suspicious links or trust messages offering exam papers, answer keys, leaked material or admit cards through unofficial channels. It said it will never ask candidates for payment, OTPs or personal details through such messages.

NTA warns candidates about fake NEET messages

For the June 21 re-examination, the NTA said it will also send exam updates and centre information through WhatsApp. Candidates have been asked to verify that messages come from an account carrying the blue verified tick and the name "National Testing Agency".

The agency clarified that its WhatsApp service is a broadcast-only channel. It will not ask candidates to reply, share OTPs, disclose personal information or make payments. Any such request should be treated as fraudulent and reported through official channels.

Candidates who have already downloaded their admit cards for the June 21 examination do not need to download them again. The NTA said the reminders are mainly for students who are yet to access their new admit cards.

The agency also clarified that admit cards issued for the May 3 examination are no longer valid. Many candidates have been allotted fresh centres in their preferred cities for the re-exam, making the updated admit card necessary for entry.

The Mumbai court's order is limited to the accused's appearance in the NEET-UG re-examination and does not affect the criminal proceedings against him. The conditions imposed by the court will remain in force until he surrenders back to prison as directed.

With inputs from PTI