Falling in love not a criminal offence: court

A 22-year-old youth, facing trial for raping and kidnapping a minor girl after eloping with her, has been let off. The court held that “falling in love cannot be punished in the way other criminals are punished”.

A 22-year-old youth, facing trial for raping and kidnapping a minor girl after eloping with her, has been
let off. The court held that “falling in love cannot be punished in the way other criminals are punished”.

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While acquitting the youth of the charges of rape, Additional Sessions Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna convicted him on charges of kidnapping, but let him off by sentencing him to three months in jail and setting aside the same against his imprisonment undergone earlier during the trial.

“It is clear that emotion of love and affection compelled the convict to take this step wherein he failed to acknowledge the presence and sanctity of consent of the parents of the girl,” said the judge, while letting off Sanjay, a Jahangirpuri resident, who had been facing trial for eloping with a 15-year-old girl.

The judges added that the three months Sanjay spent in jail were sufficient to teach him a lesson. He was also let off on the ground that his relationship with the girl was later approved by both families.