Delay in lodging FIR in rape case not significant: SC

The Supreme Court said on Tuesday that delay in lodging FIR in rape cases was not of much “significance” as a victim has to muster courage to come out in a “conservative social milieu”.

“In rapes cases, delay in filing the FIR by the prosecutrix or by the parents in all circumstances is not of significance.

The authorities of this court have granted adequate protection/allowance in that aspect regard being had to the trauma suffered, the agony and anguish that creates the turbulence in the mind of the victim, to muster the courage to expose oneself in a conservative social milieu,” said a bench of Justices Dipak Misra and N V Ramana.

“Sometimes, the fear of social stigma and on occasions the availability of medical treatment to gain normalcy, and above all psychological inner strength to undertake such a legal battle,” it added.