Will you marry a rape victim? Supreme question to the accused

Government employee accused of raping schoolgirl, seeks bail to avoid prosecution under Poxo

New Delhi, March 1, 2021, Monday

During the hearing, the Supreme Court asked a misdemeanor accused if he was ready to marry the victim. The accused in the entire case is an employee of the Maharashtra government and had applied for anticipatory bail to avoid arrest.

He is accused of raping a schoolgirl and a case has also been filed against him under Poxo. Mohit Subhash Chavan, a technician with Maharashtra State Electric Production Company, had applied to the Supreme Court for anticipatory bail to avoid arrest.

He also argued that he could be suspended from government employment if he was arrested. In response, the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court S.A. Bobde said all of this should be considered before raping a minor.

Meanwhile, while the hearing was going on, Chief Justice S.A. Bobde questioned the accused as to whether you were willing to marry the victim. We can help you if you want to get married but you have to go to jail if you don't want to.

You have raped and abused a minor. Although in reply the accused argued that my mother had taken the marriage proposal when the victim was going to the police for complaint, but she refused.

Although the victim later agreed to the marriage after she turned 18, the accused later claimed that the victim had refused. Throughout the argument the accused also claimed that I wanted to marry him but he refused, now I cannot marry him as I am now married.

The Supreme Court had earlier asked the accused whether he was ready to marry the victim. This question is going very viral on social media and is also being criticized.

The apex court had stayed the arrest of the accused for four weeks and said the case would be heard later. The trial court had earlier stayed the arrest of the accused which was later quashed by the high court, hence the matter reached the apex court.