Woman approaches Bihar court for bail to toddler son

Patna | Police in Bihar’s Begusarai had registered an FIR against a 2-year-old toddler in 2021!

The incident came to light when the toddler’s mother Priyanka Devi, holding her son in her lap, reached the district court to seek bail for him.

When people learnt about this case, they assembled at the place to see the toddler, who was booked under the Pandemic act for breaching police barricades during the second wave of Covid-19.

“The Begusarai police registered an FIR (Case number 224/2021) against 8 persons including the toddler under the relevant sections of the Pandemic act on April 10, 2021 in Mufassil police station. At that time, police had barricaded a place in my village named Suja. The barricades were broken by the other seven persons but Begusarai police booked my son as well who was just 2 years old at that time. The current age of my son is 3 and half years now,” Priyanka said.

“I came here to seek bail for my son in this case,” she added.

A senior lawyer, however, convinced her to return to the village, telling her that a case cannot be lodged against a child who is less than 7 years old. The act of Begusarai police was illegal and an application was filed in the court to dismiss the FIR against him.

Under section 82 of Indian Penal Code, there is a provision that police cannot register FIR against a child having less than 7 years old, as children of such age are deemed to not commit crimes and are not liable to be punished.