Friendship does not give licence to rape: Delhi HC

“Even if the parties concerned were friends, friendship does not give any licence to the applicant to rape the victim repeatedly, confine her in his friend's house and beat her mercilessly, as prima facie disclosed by the complainant in her statement...duly corroborated by the medical records,” the judge said in an order passed October 17

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The Delhi High Court has denied anticipatory bail to a man accused of raping a 17-year old girl while rejecting his contention that both were friends, saying friendship does not give licence to rape the victim repeatedly, confine her, or beat her mercilessly.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma dismissed the application of the man in the case lodged under Prevention of Child from Sexual Offences (POCSO) Act, noting that the accused had still not joined the investigation, despite his anticipatory bail plea having been either withdrawn or rejected on four occasions in the past.