Overview
- The court granted Chandel bail on Thursday and ordered a Rs 50,000 personal recognisance bond plus an identical surety while denying provisional cash bail.
- The order bars him from contacting the 16-year-old complainant or any prosecution witness and requires him to appear at every trial date and avoid the victim’s neighbourhood.
- Police arrested Chandel on July 10 after his teenage co-actor accused him of harassment, stalking and physical assault and registered a POCSO case at Ghatkopar police station.
- Earlier bail petitions were refused after the minor’s recorded statement and after reporters flagged errors in police and medical records, including wrong occupation and marital status entries.
- The arrest already cost Chandel his role on the TV show Sairaab and his expected release — once court paperwork is completed — leaves the trial and investigation active under the POCSO law that treats child-sex-offence allegations with heightened judicial caution.