LUCKNOW, India, April 10 – The Allahabad High Court has granted bail to a man accused of rape, with the judge observing that the woman involved had “invited trouble” and was “also responsible for the same”, according to a court order dated March 11.
The case involves a postgraduate student who filed a police complaint alleging that she was sexually assaulted by the accused after attending a bar with friends in September last year. The woman said she became intoxicated and agreed to accompany the man to his house in Noida to rest, but he allegedly diverted to his relative’s home in Gurgaon, where she said she was raped twice.
In the bail plea, the accused argued that the facts of the case suggested a consensual relationship rather than rape. His counsel also said that the man had been in jail since December 2024 and had no prior criminal record. He assured the court that if granted bail, he would cooperate with the trial process and not misuse his liberty.
Granting bail, Justice Sanjay Kumar Singh remarked that the woman was “competent enough to understand the morality and significance of her act.” The judge further stated: “Even if the allegation of the victim is accepted as true, then it can also be concluded that she herself invited trouble and was also responsible for the same.”
The court noted that while the woman’s hymen was found torn during medical examination, the doctor gave no conclusive opinion on whether sexual assault had occurred. The decision has raised concerns among legal experts and activists, who say such observations could undermine the seriousness of sexual assault allegations and discourage victims from coming forward.
