delhi high court

A doctor of Safdarjung Hospital who was accused of raping a woman on the promise of marriage has been granted bail by the Delhi HC on the grounds that it was “not a case of forceful sexual assault” and he would not be in position to terrorize the victim or tamper with evidence.

According to the woman, her father had suffered a heart attack in January 2019 and she took her to the Safdarjung hospital where the accused was the duty doctor.

During the course of treatment, he visited the woman’s residence and gave his profile for the purpose of marriage and asked for her profile as well, she said.

The woman alleged that later on he called her to meet him to know each other, and once she was called at his friend’s house where she was given a soft drink after which she lost consciousness and on regaining consciousness, she realised she has been raped.

When she confronted the man, she was threatened that a video had been taken by him and would be made viral, the woman alleged, adding that later on she was called at some hotels and raped again.

An FIR was lodged at Hauz Khas Police Station on January 28, 2021 on the woman’s rape complaint.

However, this story has been completely given a go by and now the allegation is that the man promised marriage and established physical relationship with her, he argued, adding that no useful purpose would be served by arresting the doctor.

“This allegation has been given a go by and the subsequent allegation of the prosecutrix is that sexual relationship was established on the basis of promise to marry. There are contradictions between the initial version and the present version of the prosecutrix.”

“This court has perused all the records and does not find any promise of marriage. There is no further material which has to be recovered from the petitioner. The sexual relationship was established on the promise of marriage or not is a matter of trial and has to be established during the trial,” the court said.