Kochi | The Kerala High Court has denied bail to a 63-year-old priest of a Mosque who is accused of sexually assaulting his eight-year-old girl student in the Madrasa, saying that it appeared to be a "premeditated criminal act".

Justice Kauser Edappagath dismissed the bail plea and said,"This is a case where a 63-year-old priest of a Mosque alleged to have sexually assaulted his student aged 8 years".

"Considering the nature of the crime, the gravity of the offence, the complicity of the applicant in it, and the facts and circumstances mentioned above, I am of the view that the applicant cannot be released on bail at this stage." According to the prosecution, the accused, who is in judicial custody since February 8 this year, had groped and touched the minor girl's private parts while she was studying in the Madrasa.

He was booked for various offences under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012, the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023 and the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Act, 2015, the prosecution told the court.

The accused had sought bail claiming he was falsely implicated and that there were no materials to connect him to the alleged crime.

The court rejected the contention, saying that "a perusal of the case diary would reveal that the accusation against the applicant is very serious, and it prima facie shows a premeditated criminal act on his part".