Man raped girl on promise of marriage, gets 10-year jail

NEW DELHI: A man was sentenced to 10 years in jail by a fast-track court for raping a girl on the false promise of marriage and leaving her after she became pregnant.
The court said that after maintaining physical relations with the Muslim girl for over two years, Deepak Dogra refused to marry her. Moreover, to save himself from legal punishment, he went through "farce of marriage ceremony" despite knowing that it was neither lawful nor valid.
ASJ Nivedita Anil Sharma said that it is clear from the girl's evidence that a 'farce' marriage was conducted in a temple where the couple exchanged garlands and Deepak put vermilion on the girl's head knowing fully well that he is a Hindu and the girl a Muslim. Even after being told by a priest that the marriage can not be performed in that temple, Deepak still went ahead with the ceremony.
The 20-year-old girl was awarded a compensation of Rs 1 lakh under the Delhi Victims Compensation Scheme. The court imposed a fine of Rs 60,000 on Mubarakpur- resident Deepak stating that if realized, the amount should be given to the victim as compensation.
According to the prosecution, the girl had lodged a complaint against Deepak in October 2010 alleging that he had raped her several times in a factory and at her house after promising her marriage. But after she became pregnant, Deepak refused to marry her and even asked her to abort the child. When the girl approached police, Deepak told the cops that they were married and produced the photographs as proof. But the court said, "...Deepak is a Hindu and the girl is a Muslim. The two could not have married unless one of them converted to the religion of the other, or they got married under the Special Marriage Act."
Deepak was held guilty for raping and fraudulently performing the marriage ceremony. Regarding the girl's consent in having physical relations with the accused, the judge said that it was clear from her evidence that Deepak developed physical relations with her on the promise of marrying her.
The woman alleged that she was raped many times at her home and in a factory, but he left her when she became pregnant.