Guwahati, Jan 22: In a major development , the Gauhati High Court has rejected the bail plea of internationally acclaimed innovator from Assam and Padma Shri awardee Uddhab Bharali in a case relating to alleged rape of a minor girl under POCSO Act.

Following the rejection of the bail plea, 59-year-old Bharali surrendered before the Court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) in Lakhimpur district of Assam on Friday, which has sent him to 14-day judicial custody.

Bharali was booked under the POCSO Act for allegedly molesting and raping a minor while she was under his foster care.

Police has registered an FIR against him invoking sections of the Indian Penal Code and the POCSO Act based on a complaint from a Chief Judicial Magistrate who was briefed by the District Legal Services Authority (DSLA), Lakhimpur on December 17.

Police in Lakhimpur district had booked Bharali under section 6 of the POCSO Act for aggravated penetrative sexual assault against the 13-year-old victim and sections 376 and 354 of IPC for rape and using criminal force to outrage modesty.

But on December 28, based on a petition by Bharali, Gauhati High Court granted interim bail for three-weeks to the Padma winner, which was rejected by the same court on Thursday.

Meanwhile, Uddhab Bharali, while denying the allegations, expressed faith in the judiciary. He said that he would fight for justice and asked to wait for the truth to come out.

Uddhab Bharali, a serial innovator who had won the Padma Shri in 2019 has nearly 120 innovations to his credit including paddy thresher, cane stripping machine, pomegranate de-seeder and low-cost innovator.