<p>In an unexpected twist, the victim in the much-publicised Patna sex scandal case has sought the court’s permission to marry the rapist.<br /><br />The Dalit girl, daughter of a former Congress minister, had accused Nikhil Priyadarshi, a young businessman, of rape and running a sex racket in Patna. Priyadarshi is the son of retired IAS officer Krishna Bihari Prasad.<br /><br />The girl lodged an FIR (No. 26/16) at the SC/ST police station alleging that Nikhil, his brother Subash, his father Krishna Bihari and friends Sanjit, Brajesh Pandey and Mrinal had sexually abused her.<br /><br />Following the complaint, police arrested Nikhil and his father in Uttarakhand. The duo was charged under Sections 354 and 376 of the IPC, and other Sections of the SC/ST Act besides POCSO (Protection of children from sexual offences) Act, since the girl was a minor when the crime was committed.<br /><br />The father-son duo was on the run for nearly two months and was captured in March in Laxmanpur in Garhwal in Uttarakhand during vehicle checking. Their Audi was also seized.<br /><br />Nikhil and Krishna Bihari were brought to Patna and produced in the court that remanded them in custody.<br /><br />However, the girl had moved a compromise petition before the special judge Justice Akhilanand Dubey, who is hearing the case, saying she was ready to marry Nikhil. The petition bearing her signature said she was making a fresh appeal to start life afresh since family elders of the two sides have suggested that they reach a compromise.<br /><br />Legal experts say that a compromise is difficult since the girl had filed the case under the SC/ST act and had recorded her statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), when she was a minor. “In a rape case, that too under SC/ST Act, the various sections are non-compoundable, which essentially means there is no scope for compromise,” a senior lawyer said.</p>
<p>In an unexpected twist, the victim in the much-publicised Patna sex scandal case has sought the court’s permission to marry the rapist.<br /><br />The Dalit girl, daughter of a former Congress minister, had accused Nikhil Priyadarshi, a young businessman, of rape and running a sex racket in Patna. Priyadarshi is the son of retired IAS officer Krishna Bihari Prasad.<br /><br />The girl lodged an FIR (No. 26/16) at the SC/ST police station alleging that Nikhil, his brother Subash, his father Krishna Bihari and friends Sanjit, Brajesh Pandey and Mrinal had sexually abused her.<br /><br />Following the complaint, police arrested Nikhil and his father in Uttarakhand. The duo was charged under Sections 354 and 376 of the IPC, and other Sections of the SC/ST Act besides POCSO (Protection of children from sexual offences) Act, since the girl was a minor when the crime was committed.<br /><br />The father-son duo was on the run for nearly two months and was captured in March in Laxmanpur in Garhwal in Uttarakhand during vehicle checking. Their Audi was also seized.<br /><br />Nikhil and Krishna Bihari were brought to Patna and produced in the court that remanded them in custody.<br /><br />However, the girl had moved a compromise petition before the special judge Justice Akhilanand Dubey, who is hearing the case, saying she was ready to marry Nikhil. The petition bearing her signature said she was making a fresh appeal to start life afresh since family elders of the two sides have suggested that they reach a compromise.<br /><br />Legal experts say that a compromise is difficult since the girl had filed the case under the SC/ST act and had recorded her statement under Section 164 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC), when she was a minor. “In a rape case, that too under SC/ST Act, the various sections are non-compoundable, which essentially means there is no scope for compromise,” a senior lawyer said.</p>
