New Delhi:
A youth accused of raping and robbing a girl, who later married him, has been acquitted by a Delhi court on the ground that she did not depose about her rape.
Additional sessions judge Virender Bhat discharged the Uttar Pradesh resident of the charges against him saying, "If he had committed robbery upon her, she would not have solemnised marriage with him after his release from jail."
"In her deposition before the court, she did not mention anything about rape. In the cross examination conducted by the additional public prosecutor, she denied that she had been raped by the accused," the court said, adding that the girl's parents have also not mentioned anything about rape and snatching of her chain, earrings and mobile phone.
The youth was arrested by police in February on a complaint lodge by her parents, alleging that he had caught hold of her hand and pulled her when she was on her way home after attending a marriage ceremony at a relative's house.
They told the police that after their daughter had refused to talk to him, the accused had hit her with a brick and looted her belongings. They had also alleged that their daughter was raped when she became unconscious.
"What emerges from the deposition of the two witnesses (girl's parents) is that the accused (youth) was in deep love with the prosecutrix and intended to marry her. Therefore, I find it unbelievable that the youth would rob the girl with whom he wants to marry.
"It appears that as soon as the youth saw the prosecutrix alone, he thought it an opportunity for him to have some intimate talks with her and when the girl refused to accompany him, he hit her with a brick.
"If, in fact, the accused had committed robbery upon her, she would not have solemnised marriage with him after his release from jail," the court said.