New Delhi, Dec 17: Supreme Court on Friday granted bail to a tribal woman accused of human trafficking after noting that despite a lapse of almost two years her trial has not commenced and said she cannot be kept confined indefinitely.
A bench headed by Chief Justice N.V. Ramana passed the order giving bail to Drabhamon Phawa, a 21-year old from Meghalaya.
Pahwa, accused of human trafficking, was pregnant at the time of her arrest and had been in jail since February 2020. She delivered a child in jail.
The apex court said she cannot be kept confined in prison indefinitely.
Pahwa was represented by senior advocate Salman Khurshid with T K Nayak, Shaurya Sahay and Aadya Mishra. The state was represented by Additional Solicitor General Aishwarya Bhati.
Phawa came to the national capital looking for a job and was forced into flesh trade, the accused said in her petition.
She was arrested on charges of human-trafficking which appear to be false and fabricated, her lawyer said.
When she refused to engage in sex trade, she was beaten, threatened and raped by one of the co-accused. She was raped numerous times by multiple men, leading to pregnancy, she said.
