In Brief
A woman superintendent of a state-run protection home was accused of administering intoxicants to female inmates and facilitating their sexual exploitation by outsiders. The Special Court rejected her bail, but the High Court granted bail by a terse order without reasons and without hearing the victim-appellant, as mandated by law. The Supreme Court, on special leave, quashed the High Court's bail order and cancelled her release. The Court held that allegations of such grave institutional abuse shake its conscience, that the mandatory victim-hearing requirement was violated, and that releasing the accused—who had administrative clout and was even reinstated to lead another protection home—would endanger witnesses and obstruct the trial. The Court directed her surrender within four weeks.
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