Senior citizen charged with beating girl in Puchong

V. Tanawali, 62, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge which was read out to her in Tamil before judge Mohammed Mokhzani Mokhtar.

The woman, who was the child's guardian, was charged with abusing the six-year-old girl by beating her with a cane on the face, body, arms and legs at a house in Taman Puchong Perdana, Jalan Mawar here, at 11 am in September last year.

The charge, under Section 31 (1)(b) of the Child Act 2001, provides a maximum fine of RM50,000 or imprisonment for up to 20 years, or both, if found guilty.

Deputy public prosecutor V. V. Suloshani, who prosecuted, taking into factor the seriousness of the crime, did not offer bail.

However, lawyer Datuk Suraj Singh, representing Tanawali, requested that his client be allowed bail as there was no risk of her fleeing.

The court then set bail at RM10,000 in one surety and fixed July 14 for mention.

Tanawali was detained last June 6 after a video showing a woman beating a six-year-old girl went viral on Facebook.

The girl was eating at a table when the woman ordered her to move away for spilling some food.

As soon as the girl got up, the woman beat her mercilessly. The video was recorded by the woman's friend.

It was learnt that the girl was left under the care of the woman after her mother died.