'Didn't ask accused to marry victim': Chief Justice Sharad Bobde highlights 'misreporting' in rape case

Chief Justice of India, Sharad A Bobde, on Monday (March 8) asserted that the comments made by him few days ago while hearing a rape case was completely misreported and he had always accorded the "highest respect to womanhood".

"We did not ask him (rape accused) to marry. We asked 'are you going to marry?' We did not say 'marry'," Chief Justice Bobde said.

On March 1, CJI Bobde was hearing the bail plea of a man, who is accused of raping a schoolgirl. The man has been charged under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences law.

"If you want to marry, we can help you. If not, you lose your job and go to jail. You seduced the girl, raped her. We are not forcing you. Later you may say court forced you " the Chief Justice told the petitioner's lawyer.

The remarks by CJI Bobde did not go down well with many with some taking to social media to say that the SC was considering marriage as some panacea for rape. 

The Chief Justice, however, asserted on Monday that "there was complete misreporting" on the matter. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta also defended the CJI and said that the question was asked by the top court in a totally different context.

The Chief justice said, "We did not have any marital rape cases before us. I asked my brothers (judges sitting in the bench). They, too, do not remember. This institution, particularly this bench, we have the highest respect for womanhood."