New Delhi: A court here has granted bail to a 20-year-old man who has been accused of raping a minor. The court was hearing the bail plea of the accused, who was in judicial custody since August. "In view of these facts and the young age of the accused, who has no criminal antecedents, the bail application is allowed," Additional Sessions Judge Richa Gusain Solanki said in an order passed on Wednesday.
The judge directed the accused to furnish a personal bond or surety bond of Rs 20,000, besides imposing the condition that he would not contact the victim "directly or indirectly". Other conditions imposed by the judge while granting bail to the accused included that the latter would provide his permanent address and phone number in the bail bonds, inform the court about any changes in his address or phone number and not reside in the victim's locality.
The court said it appeared that the accused had "friendly relations" with the 16-year-old victim and the latter made a statement before the magistrate concerned about being in love with the man and her willingness to stay with him. The court noted that the victim had also expressed her willingness to return to her parents.
During the proceedings, the prosecution opposed the bail plea, saying the charges against the accused were serious in nature and that the minor victim's consent was immaterial. Representing the accused in the court, advocates Soumava Karmakar and Nishant Singh said the victim was not kidnapped or sexually assaulted and it was a case of elopement of two young people. The Delhi Police had registered an FIR against the accused under sections 376 (rape) and 366 (kidnapping, abducting or inducing woman to compel her marriage etc.) of the Indian Penal Code, along with section 6 (aggravated penetrative sexual assault) of the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act. (PTI)
