The High Court of Meghalaya at Shillong has turned down a bail plea filed by a man booked under the POCSO Act for allegedly sexually assaulting a minor girl at a children's home in East Khasi Hills district. Justice W. Diengdoh, hearing the matter on August 14, 2026, held that the material on record did not support granting relief at this stage.
Background of the Case
The accused, Adino Marboh, a resident of Puriang village under Mawryngkneng police station, was arrested on January 18, 2026. The case was registered after the Child Welfare Committee, East Khasi Hills District, directed the filing of an FIR against him. The children's home in question, run by his daughter and son-in-law, was where the alleged abuse took place.
Investigators recorded statements from several children living at the facility and collected supporting documents, including school records. Once the probe concluded, police filed a chargesheet, and the matter is now before the Special POCSO Court, Shillong, where charges have already been framed. Trial is yet to begin in earnest, as no witnesses have been examined so far.
Arguments in Court
Appearing for Marboh, advocate P. Yobin argued that his client's arrest was invalid because the grounds of arrest were never properly communicated, allegedly violating Article 22(2) of the Constitution. He also argued that with the chargesheet filed and investigation complete, continued custody served no purpose, invoking the principle that "bail is the rule, jail an exception."
The State, represented by AAG N.D. Chullai and Additional PP R. Colney, opposed the plea. They pointed to statements from multiple children at the home describing the accused's conduct toward them, and produced proof that arrest grounds had indeed been served on him in the Khasi language. They also noted he never raised this objection in his four earlier bail pleas before the trial court.
Court's Observations
Justice Diengdoh noted that the accused was affectionately called "paieid" (grandfather) by children at the home, which made the alleged betrayal of trust more serious.
"With such trust and faith reposed in him, from the statement of the concerned survivor as well as other children of the home, it is a betrayal of such trust that has resulted in the perpetrator taking advantage of the vulnerability of the child's nature," the Court observed, adding that the arrest-related objection did not hold up either.
Decision
The Court rejected the bail application, calling it devoid of merit, and disposed of the petition with no order as to costs.
Case Details
- Case Title: Adino Marboh v. State of Meghalaya & Anr.
- Case Number: BA No. 62 of 2026
- Judge: Hon'ble Mr. Justice W. Diengdoh
- Decision Date: 14.08.2026
