The Bombay High Court while hearing a petition of a 23-year-old youth seeking to quash rape case registered against him for sexually assaulting the minor victim under the pretext of marriage held that "being in love is not an offence".
The victim girl's parents have informed the High Court that they would not like to track the matter as it has been decided that the girl would be married to the arrested accused after she attains 18-years of age after three years.
A division bench of Justices V.M. Kanade and R.G. Ketkar said that being in love is not an offence. They need to look at these matters in a different angle. They will ensure that the girl is happily married. If the guardians of the girl had consented themselves to the match then it needs to be handled carefully.
The petitioner in the case, Amol Dhawale, aged 23 years was arrested on September 19 last year by Islampur Police in Sangli district for allegedly sexually assaulting the minor at a hotel room in Khandala under the pretext of marriage.
The victim and the accused had been in a relationship for a long time.
According to the police, the victim had accompanied two of her cousins (both minors) and the accused to Khandala. On her return, the girl's mother learnt about the incident and lodged a complaint.
Following the family's decision so as to amicably settle the matter, Dhawale approached the High Court seeking to revoke the FIR lodged against him.
The matter has been kept for further hearing later this week.
Reported by
AR
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