Rape accused weds victim on court premises, gets bail

A 25-year-old accused, charged with raping a minor in Bihar's Begusarai district, was enlarged on bail after he married the victim on the court premises.

The court of additional district and sessions judge Krishna Murari Sharan had laid down a condition that the accused, Kundan Kumar, in order to secure bail will have to marry the victim.

"Be prepared to land in jail again if we get the report, that you have tortured the girl whom you are marrying," the court warned Kundan before releasing him on bail.

The victim has now turned 18, but was a minor when the rape incident took place early this year.

"Kundan's marriage was solemnised on Thursday at the temple on the court premises in the presence of lawyers and family members," an eyewitness said on Friday.

The accused was initially reluctant to marry the victim when the judge made the suggestion but he relented after his lawyer Rishikesh Pathak counselled him.

Kundan was earlier jailed after a case of rape was lodged against him (Case No: 66/18) in Begusarai on the basis of the statement of the girl's father. "Kundan was booked under Section 376 (rape) and other relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Since the victim was a minor when the crime against her took place, Kundan was booked under Protection of Children from Sexual Offences (Pocso) Act too," special public prosecutor (SPP) Kumari Manisha said.