Mumbai: Court grants bail to man accused of raping minor after he offers to marry her

Mumbai: Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act court in Mumbai granted bail to a 25-year old man accused of raping and impregnating a 16-year old girl after he told the court that he was willing to marry the girl. 

The mother of the girl had filed an FIR earlier but submitted an affidavit supporting the release after hearing of the ‘marrying request’. 

This was the second bail plea filed by the accused as his plea was rejected by the court earlier. 

The accused is also already married and the police have been opposing the release as there is no evidence to show that the wife has consented to him marrying this girl. The police also alleged that the man lured the girl and now wants to take advantage by marrying her. 

The court, however, said that it is submitted that the minor is willing to marry him and that the affair was consensual so there is no need to keep the man behind bars. 

“It cannot be said that the first marriage of the accused was not within their knowledge. As it is submitted that the prosecutrix (minor) intends to marry him and the accused is also willing to marry her once she turns 18 and that the matter is arising out of the affair and it is the case of a consensual relationship, to me, there is no need to keep the accused behind bars”, said the court as reported by the Times of India.