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Punjab and Haryana High Court suspends sentence for rape on the grounds of promiscuity of the victim, grants bail to 3 convicts

The Punjab and Haryana High Court has suspended the sentence of three persons convicted of aggravated rape, gang rape, criminal conspiracy, criminal intimidation, and obscenity, and has granted them bail, on the grounds that the facts of the case spoke to an alternative story of a casual relationship with friends, which had taken an unfortunate turn due to the promiscuity of the victim and the voyeuristic tendencies of all parties involved, including the victim. The bail order has been widely criticized for disparaging the character of the victim, blaming her for the sexual assaults, and flouting procedural norms by going into the merits of the case in an application for suspension of sentence. The appeal of the convicts against the Trial Court judgement is pending before the Court.

Vikas Garg and Ors v. State of Haryana [Cr.M.No.23962 of 2017; Cr.M.No.26910-11 of 2017; Cr.M.No.26930 of 2017]

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