Rape victim earns court's leniency for convict

A man held guilty of raping a girl was today let off by a Delhi court on a punishment of imprisonment already undergone and a fine of Rs 2,500 after the victim pleaded for leniency saying she has married him and that they had an affair earlier.
Additional Sessions Judge Kaveri Baweja let off 22-year-old Dheeraj, a resident of Central Delhi, with one year and seven days he had already spent in custody during the trial and fine of Rs 2,500.
The judge took a lenient view after the girl urged the court that "Dheeraj should not be sent to custody as they are now married and she was having a love affair with him."

"I am of the opinion that it is a fit case where there are adequate and special reasons for awarding lesser sentence," the court said.
The prosecution case was that Dheeraj used to follow the girl, who was then 16-year-old, and write letters to her expressing his love. He also used to threaten her that if she would not accept her proposal, he would consume poison and also implicated her parents in court cases.
In October 2009, when she was going to school, Dheeraj intercepted her and asked her to accompany him or else he will commit suicide. He then took the girl to a shop belonging to his friend Rahul. Rahul closed the shop from outside and Dheeraj established physical relations with her.

Rahul was also accused of wrongfully confining the girl but was let off by the court for want of knowledge or intention on his part.

The girl had also told the court that Dheeraj, thereafter, established physical relations with her on several occasions.
When the girl's mother came to know about the incidents, Dheeraj promised to marry the girl but despite several assurances failed to keep his promise.
It was then that a complaint was made to the police and a case of rape and criminal intimidation was registered against Dheeraj.