Man calls rape survivor "prostitute" gets 7 years rigorous imprisonment

April 01, 2018

A Delhi Trial Court has sentenced the accused to seven years' rigorous imprisonment for calling the rape survivor a “ prostitute” . The court outrightly rejected the claim and awarded the punishment. The court said “ Offence of rape is gravest. The offence has been committed on a lady who was young at the time of the incident.” It also said that the accused used the word “ prostitute” in the most “ irresponsible manner” . The court further directed the accused to pay Rs. 5 lakh as compensation to the woman in order to provide restorative and compensatory justice to her. The rape survivor had alleged that the accused, Mumtaz Ali, who runs a tailoring shop near her place, raped her on two occasions in March 2015 when she was home alone. On the first occasion, Ali had threatened the survivor saying he would kidnap her children. However, she later called her husband's factory, where the factory owner told her to inform the police. The woman thought it imperative to inform the police thinking that her daughter is a minor and that Ali should not make advances at her. The prosecution, while proving the charges, examined 15 witnesses. The accused, however, claimed that the woman is a prostitute and extorts money from people. He examined three witnesses in his defence and alleged that the survivor had illicit relations with the factory owner. On one hand, there was an allegation of her having illicit relations, and on the other, the accused claimed he had not committed rape and termed the woman a “ prostitute” .