India, Jan. 27 -- The seriousness of an offence against a child is not diminished simply by the accused lending financial support to the victim's family, the Delhi High Court has held, as it denied bail to a man accused of repeatedly raping a 12-year-old girl.

A bench of Swarana Kanta Sharma, in an order made public on January 21, rejected the bail petition of the accused, who was arrested under the Indian Penal Code and the stringent Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act in 2021.

The case stems from the victim's allegation that the man lured her to a room and sexually assaulted her. She further alleged that he committed aggravated penetrative sexual assault on multiple occasions, recorded the acts on his mobile phone,...