In a bizarre incident in Mumbai a 25 year old man who raped and impregnated a 16 year old has been granted bail
The police had opposed the bail as they felt that the accused had trapped the girl into this situation through deceit and fear.
The mother ,in the FIR she filed, had herself gone on record, saying that the girl was threatened not to reveal the identity of the rapist who incidentally is known to the father of the 16 yr old.
The Protection Of Child from Sexual Offences ( POCSO) Acts Court grants bail on the grounds that that the accused had agreed to marry the girl which is allowed in their religion and secondly they find the act to be consensual.
The question one needs to ask is ” How could the court find the act of impregnation of a minor to be consensual when she was threatened to hide it from her parents ??”
Secondly,” How can bail be granted on the grounds that the rapist is agreeing to marry the victim two years later ?”
These judgements are setting a wrong precedence….
No rapist irrespective of the religion he belongs to should not be allowed to manipulate the law . Each minor has to be protected and justice has to meted out to her. A rape cannot be undone by marrying the rapist or becoming a second wife only because a particular religion allows it. It is unjust to the first wife as well and it almost legalises rape of minors !
The silence of the feminists, liberals and activists is deafening !! It’s time the courts move beyond the technical righteousness of the arguments presented and pass judgements based on the holistic real picture
