The Wire Staff 
New Delhi: The Allahabad high court, while granting bail to a man accused of raping a woman and sharing her photos online, directed him to marry the survivor within three months.
The verdict, delivered on February 20 by a single-judge bench of Justice Krishan Pahal, was made available on Tuesday, the Times of India reported.
Justice Pahal, in his order, said, “A person’s right to life and liberty, guaranteed by Article 21 of the Constitution, cannot be taken away merely because the person is accused of committing an offence until the guilt is established beyond reasonable doubt.”
The accused, hailing from Rajasthan’s Sikar district, met the survivor last year at a coaching centre for police recruitment exams.
The woman’s family alleged that the 23-year-old was sexually assaulted multiple times by the accused between February 2024. Her family filed a police complaint against the 26-year-old accused in May last year.
An FIR was registered against the accused under IPC sections 376 (rape), 506 (criminal intimidation), and the IT Act. He was arrested on September 21 and sent to jail, the paper reported.
The accused’s bail was rejected by the Agra sessions court in October, after which the man approached the Allahabad high court.
The survivor’s lawyer claimed that the accused had coerced the woman into a physical relationship over the pretext of getting her a job in UP police department. The accused allegedly raped the woman and extorted Rs 9 lakh from her by threatening to release videos of the assault.
“The conditions laid down by the court will be adhered to by my client. The woman will be notified and complete compliance with court directives will be ensured,” the accused’s lawyer told the paper on Tuesday.