India, Aug. 27 -- The Delhi High Court has refused anticipatory bail to a man accused of sexually assaulting a 10-year-old girl, citing that "bad touch" at a tender age scars the child's spirit, leaves a long-lasting trauma, and impairs her ability to trust others.

The ruling was delivered by Justice Girish Kathpalia, while dealing with the man's plea seeking anticipatory bail in a case registered in 2023 under sections 354 (outraging woman's modesty) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of Indian Penal Code and Section 8 (sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act, 2012.

The girl had alleged that the man used to misbehave with her and touch her private parts whenever she visited his shop. She further claimed that...