The High Court has granted one-year bail to a rape case convict after he married the victim at Rajshahi jail gate in line with its conditional directive.
The High Court order states that the bail will be cancelled if the convict, Dilip Khalko refuses to accept the victim as his wife during their conjugal and family life, said Deputy Attorney General (DAG) Sarwar Hossain Bappi, reports The Daily Star.
The High Court bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman came up with the order after examining the documents sent by the Rajshahi jail authorities, which state that Dilip Khalko married the victim on December 5, the DAG added.
The documents were submitted to the court in response to a condition issued by the High Court bench on October 22 which stated that Dilip Khalko will be granted bail in the rape case if he marries the victim, said Sarwar Hossain Bappi.
The bench also asked Rajshahi jail authorities to arrange the marriage at the jail gate if the convict agrees to marry the victim, and to submit a report to the court after complying with the order.
Also Read- OP-ED: How effective is the death penalty against rape?
Dilip Khalko's lawyer SM Shahed Chowdhury placed the bail petition before the High Court bench on Thursday, praying the court to grant Dilip Khalko bail in the case as he married the victim, in line with the conditions.
Rajshahi Central Jail authorities arranged the marriage of the convict and the victim on December 5 at Chaitanyapur village in Rajshahi's Godagari in compliance with the court order.
Dilip Khalko has been serving a life sentence in a case over the rape and has been behind bars for the last eight years.
According to the case statement, Dilip and the victim are cousins and are reported to have been in a relationship.
The victim became pregnant in 2011 at the age of 14. Dilip refused to marry her at the time.
On October 25, 2011, the victim filed the rape case with Godagari police station, accusing Dilip.
On June 12, 2012, Rajshahi Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal sentenced him to life imprisonment.
