Karnataka HC Orders Rs 75,000 monthly support to rape victim, grants conditional stay in case

Bengaluru: The High Court of Karnataka on Friday directed a petitioner accused of repeated rape on false promise of marriage to pay Rs 75,000 monthly towards the sustenance of the victim and their 10-month-old child, while granting an interim stay on further criminal proceedings against him.

The order was passed by Justice M Nagaprasanna while hearing a writ petition filed by 22-year-old engineering student Srikrishna J Rao, who had sought quashing of proceedings pending against him in a sessions court in Mangaluru under provisions of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita.

The bench noted that the petitioner and the victim, aged 22 and 20 respectively, were in a relationship that evolved into intimacy, resulting in the birth of a child. It recorded that the petitioner is the biological father, a fact that is medically substantiated and undisputed.

Taking into account the financial vulnerability of the young mother and her family, Justice Nagaprasanna observed that the woman had been "thrust prematurely into the responsibilities of motherhood" and was now burdened with unforeseen obligations after the petitioner allegedly reneged on his promise of marriage.

Accordingly, an interim order of stay of further proceedings pending before the VI Additional Principal District and Sessions Court, Mangaluru, was "granted qua the petitioner, subject to a crucial condition that the petitioner, either personally or through his parents, the accused in companion petitions, shall provide financial support to the complainant and the child, in the form of a sum of Rs 75,000 per month, to ensure the sustenance and welfare of the mother and the 10 month old baby, until the final disposal of this petition," the order read.

The first instalment is to be paid within one week, on or before May 1, 2026, and subsequent payments are to be made regularly.

The court further emphasised that although the petitioner is a student, such considerations cannot override the pressing needs of the child and the mother, stating that "justice, in its equitable dimension, demands a balanced approach." It also directed the victim, her family, and relatives to refrain from engaging with the media until the matter reaches its judicial conclusion.

The petition has been tagged with connected matters and is scheduled for further hearing on June 5, 2026.