K'taka HC Orders Rs 75k monthly support to rape victim, grants conditional stay in case
Bengaluru (PTI): 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.
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NEET student hangs self in Rajasthan's Sikar
Jaipur (PTI): A student preparing for the NEET examination allegedly committed suicide by hanging himself in a rented room in Rajasthan's Sikar on Friday, police said.
According to the police, the student allegedly hanged himself from a ceiling fan using his sister's scarf while one sister was attending coaching classes and the other was in the bathroom.
He had appeared in the NEET UG exam 2026, which was cancelled due to paper leak, they said.
Udyog Nagar SHO Rajesh Kumar said that the deceased, identified as Pradeep Meghwal, was a resident of Kanika ki Dhani village in Jhunjhunu's Gudha Gaudji area.
He had been living in a rented room in Sikar's Jaldhari Nagar area with his two sisters while preparing for NEET over the last three years.
His elder sister later found him hanging and informed the landlord and police after bringing him down, officials said.
The SHO said the body was kept at SK Hospital mortuary, and a postmortem had not been conducted.
The student's father, Rajesh Kumar Meghwal, told police that Pradeep's NEET examination had gone well and the family was expecting him to score around 650 marks.
Former Rajasthan deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot expressed grief over the incident and linked it to anxiety among students after reports of irregularities and paper leaks in NEET 2026.
Pilot said repeated paper leak incidents and cancellation of examinations were affecting students' mental health and demanded a time-bound investigation and strict action against those responsible.
