Dindoshi Court grants bail to accused child molester

A Dindoshi Sessions Court has granted bail to Sagar Kotak, a 45-year-old bicycle shop owner. He was arrested in January 2025 for attempting to molest a 17-year-old girl by promising her a new bicycle. The court set the bail amount at Rs 25,000 and imposed strict conditions. The case began when the girl and her mother visited Kotak’s shop in December 2024, but they could not afford a bike. Kotak gave the girl his card and asked her to contact him later. On January 16, 2025, the girl told her family she was going to a friend’s house. When she returned, her family noticed she was anxious. They looked at her phone and found photos and chats with Kotak. According to reports, he had called her to meet near Infinity Mall in Malad, where he allegedly made inappropriate advances while they were in an auto-rickshaw. After this incident, the girl's family filed a police complaint. Kotak was charged under various sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act. He has a prior case against him related to different charges. During the bail hearing, Kotak's lawyer argued that the girl claimed to be 19 and that their relationship was consensual. The prosecution disagreed, claiming Kotak used his influence to lure the minor girl. The court decided to grant bail but required Kotak to report to the police weekly. He is also prohibited from tampering with evidence, threatening the victim, leaving the country, or changing his phone number until the case is resolved.