Ahmedabad: An 18-year old rape victim, who filed a writ petition in the Gujarat High Court seeking termination of her foetus, has been directed by the high court to stay at the house of the rape accused and deliver the baby.
As strange as it may sound, but this is exactly what happened in the Gujarat High Court on Wednesday afternoon. The judge spoke to the victim in his chamber in the presence of state government law officials.
The girl, who is 27 weeks pregnant, was actually not willing to abort the foetus. She told Justice J B Pardiwala that she wasn’t raped and wanted to live with the man accused of raping her. She further explained to the judge that she did not want to stay with her parents who allegedly put pressure on her to file a petition to get the foetus aborted.
The girl and the boy met at a wedding and liked each other. Later, they eloped and the girl’s mother filed a missing person’s complaint at the police station. The couple was then traced and arrested. The girl was reportedly 17 years and eight months old when she got pregnant, which technically qualifies as statutory rape.
After the lower court denied permission to abort the foetus earlier this month, the girl approached the Gujarat High Court, seeking permission to abort the foetus. Justice J B Pardiwala spoke to the girl in his chamber in the presence of law officers and even called the accused – who is presently in judicial custody on rape charges. The accused said he wanted to take care of the girl.
Hardik Brahmbhatt, the petitioner’s advocate told News18 that the accused will be tried in the lower court. “However, the girl has categorically expressed her wish to stay with the boy,” he added.
The judge has asked the district collector, social welfare department officials, and the local government hospital to ensure that the girl is checked regularly and she delivers the baby at the hospital.
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