Delhi court grants bail to rape accused stating complainant approached cops after 8 years

New Delhi: A Delhi court recently granted bail to a man accused of raping a woman on the pretext of marrying her.Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh noted that the complainant approached the police for the first time in 2024 for the offence allegedly committed in 2016—after eight years.It said, "The time period of eight years from 2016 to 2024 is too long to seriously wait for the applicant/accused to act upon his alleged promise to marry the complainant."The court said that the relatives of the complainant also live in Delhi, and therefore, "she was not incapacitated from reporting the offence to them and to the police in time".The court was hearing the bail plea of the accused, against whom Sarita Vihar police station registered an FIR under the penal provisions of rape, criminal intimidation, and voluntarily causing hurt.According to the prosecution, the accused raped the 32-year-old woman, a domestic cook, in his office in Jasola Vihar in 2016 and also shot some objectionable video clips. He repeatedly raped her after threatening to make the clips viral, alleged the prosecution.Allegations also included the accused man establishing physical relations with the victim after falsely promising to marry her."It does not seem to be a case where the arrest or custodial interrogation is required and the accused is ready and willing to join the investigation," the court said.Advocates Fahad Mustafa Khan and Neha appeared for the accused in the matter.It granted him the relief subject to furnishing a personal bond and surety bond of Rs 25,000 each and on the conditions that he would cooperate in the investigation and not contact the complainant.