Sunday, March 29, 2009

Victim converts to marry her Muslim rapist & end social stigma

Either that or else she is being coerced by the rapist's mother to marry him so he can get out of jail. "Rape victim converts to Islam to marry accused," from Hindustan Times, March 27:
A rape victim has told a city court that she wants to marry her violator. Almost four years after Sheila was allegedly raped by Ali (both names changed), she has converted to Islam and is ready to accept him as her husband.
She told the court that her marriage to Ali was necessary to end the social stigma she faced since 2005.
The drama unfolded on Thursday in the court of Additional Sessions Judge V.K. Khanna during the hearing of the bail plea of Ali.
Sheila, who had earlier identified the accused and deposed against him in court, pleaded that after registration of the case in 2005, people in her locality were constantly maligning the image of her family. “The rape case has made my life hell and jeopardised my future prospects of leading a happy married life. I want to marry Ali, as our marriage would end my ordeal,” Sheila told the court. She even requested the court to release the accused on bail, so he could marry her.
But the prosecution vehemently opposed Ali’s bail plea. Maintaining that rape was not a compoundable offence, the public prosecutor said it was simply a ploy of the accused to escape punishment.
The court dismissed Ali's bail plea saying rape was a criminal case and the accused should be punished for the crime. “The mother of the accused had approached the victim and put pressure on her for the marriage. It is a ploy to organise a false marriage ceremony to get the accused out of the jail,” said advocate Banju, who is associated with the Rape Crisis Cell, Delhi Commission of Women.
The accused has now filed another application requesting the court to allow him marry the victim in judicial custody.

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