In shocking news, the Allahabad High Court granted bail to a 26-year-old rape accused on the condition that he marry the victim within three months of his release from jail.

According to reports, a single-judge bench headed by Justice Krishan Pahal passed the controversial order on February 20. The court order followed after the accused, Naresh Meena, submitted that he, "as a bona fide person, is ready to take care of the victim as his wedded wife."

The High Court has ordered the accused to marry the victim within three months of his release on bail, though Justice Pahal's ruling did not explain the reasoning behind this condition or confirm whether the complainant was consulted.

Meena was arrested last September on charges of rape (Section 376 IPC), criminal intimidation (Section 506 IPC), and IT Act violations (Section 67) at Khandauli Police Station in Agra.

Prosecutor AK Shukla alleged that Meena defrauded the survivor of ₹9 lakh by promising her a UP Police job, subsequently sexually assaulted her, and distributed explicit videos of her online.

Defense attorney Kamlesh Kumar Dwivedi rejected these claims as fabricated and highlighted the four-month delay in filing the police report.

The court determined there were no "exceptional circumstances" warranting bail denial, noting: "The purpose of bail is to ensure the accused appears for trial." The ruling mentioned that prosecutors failed to demonstrate a risk of flight, obstruction of justice, reoffending, or witness intimidation.

In granting bail, the single-judge bench cited the accused's clean criminal record and invoked the legal principle that "bail is the rule, jail the exception," adding that the presumption of innocence supports this approach.