New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday denied anticipatory bail to Roy Vayalat and Saiju Thankachan in the No 18 hotel POCSO case.

The apex court bench comprising Justices Sanjeev Khanna and Bela M Trivedi, after examining the CCTV footage and the statement of the victim, said that they cannot intervene in the High Court order that denied the bail.

Sidharth Luthra, a senior lawyer appearing for Roy Vayalat, argued that the survivor had complained against Anjali Reema Dev, another accused in the case. Anjali was granted anticipatory bail by the High Court. Luthra also argued that POCSO could not be charged for forcing anybody to dance.

However, the court pointed out that the complainant was just 17-year-old and it is a very serious case.

However, the apex court also directed that references in the judgment of the High Court verdict on anticipatory bail plea should not be considered when approaching the courts for regular bail.

Apart from Sidharth Luthra, advocate K Parameshwar also appeared in the Supreme Court on behalf of Roy Vayalat. Saiju Thankachan was represented by Senior Advocate I H Syed and lawyer Abid Ali Beeran.