On Tuesday, Allahabad High Court granted bail to a rapist on “promise of marrying” a 15-year-old rape victim. The criminal was accused of viciously manipulating the girl for physical relationship on the pretext of marriage, resulting in child-pregnancy.
Giving relief to the rapist, the court on Tuesday ordered him to marry the victim, take responsibility for the newborn, and compensate with a 2 lakhs fixed deposit for the baby.
Abhishek was found and proven guilty under the Indian Penal Code and POCSO act (protection of children from sexual Offences Act, 2012), Justice Krishan Pahal ordered that “he shall marry the victim within three months from his release from jail and take care of her as well as the newborn baby”.
The court asked rapist Abhishek to manage the amount of fixed deposit within 6 months and the counsel claimed (not a proven fact) that the victim is an 18-year-old girl and is eligible for marriage.
According to the obtained information, rapist Abhishek also tried to threaten the girl to escape from police and court, however his lawyer claimed that now “he would not misuse his liberty”.
Many More Such Cases
This HC order is not just one such showcase of anti-women tendencies in verdicts.
Victim girls are often forced or advised by the court/police to marry their rapists which benefits the rapist as they get “legal methods” to escape punishment.
Just a few months back, In June, 2024 the Karnataka High Court granted bail to a criminal who raped his minor girlfriend and impregnated her. The verdict asked him to marry-off his “victim-lover”.
In 2022, a minor 16-year old victim of gang-rape was forced to marry one of his rapists who were granted bail from the court. To oppose the “pressures” of Farrukhabad police, the girl set fire to herself.
Similarly, in 2021 a Maharashtra government employee who raped his minor relative filed a petition in court to keep safe from the punishments. “Will you marry her?” the CJI questioned him.
Another teenager who was asked to marry-off her rapist in 2016 in district Bareilly faced brutal aftermaths and denied the order. In this case the family of rapists declared certain ‘terms and conditions’ to accept the girl.
Similarly, giving verdict in a “college-romance turned acid-attack” case, Bombay HC “settled” a matter on promise of marriage and released the goon. Court said that he wanted to live a “peaceful life”.
“Marry your Criminal” laws are claimed to be abrogated in the 20th century, but are still relevant due to the regressive approaches of the court that harks back to anti-women Manusmriti laws.
