Girl 'voluntarily' joined him: HC grants bail to rape accused
What's the story
The Bombay High Court has granted bail to a man accused of raping a minor, stating that the girl "voluntarily" joined him and was aware of the consequences.
The court also took into account the man's long detention and lack of trial progress as grounds for bail.
The accused had been in custody for almost four years before he was released on April 9.
Accusation details
Case background: Allegations and legal proceedings
The accused was arrested in 2021 under the Indian Penal Code and the Protection of Children against Sexual Offenses (POCSO) Act for kidnapping and raping the minor girl.
The victim's father filed an FIR in August 2020, alleging his daughter had left home with the accused to another state.
In May 2021, she confided in her father about her pregnancy and that the accused had refused to marry her.
Testimony
Victim's statement and defense argument
The victim said she had known the accused since 2019, and they would meet regularly in defiance of her parents. He allegedly raped her in March 2020.
The physical relationship during their stay outside Maharashtra in July 2020 led to her pregnancy.
Advocate Mateen Qureshi, appearing for the accused, argued the girl had willingly stayed with him for 10 months and her father had failed to act despite knowing her whereabouts.