'Never asked anyone to marry rapist': CJI Bobde clarifies after controversy

Following controversy over a ruling during the bail hearing in a rape case, Chief Justice SA Bobde on Monday denied asking rapists to marry survivors in the ruling. “As an institution, we have the highest respect for womanhood, Chief Justice Bobde said.

A Supreme Court bench headed by Chief Justice SA Bobde on Monday said it never asked anyone to marry rapist, and added that the SC has “the highest respect for women”. The comments, made while the bench was hearing a case of a pregnant rape victim seeking a nod to abort the foetus, came in the wake of criticism against the Supreme Court that it had asked a rape accused in another case whether he would marry the victim. Referring to the earlier case, the SC bench said on Monday, “Even in the last occasion there was no suggestion from any of us that you should marry. I checked there was no marital rape case before us.”