Taapsee Pannu, Sona Mohapatra shocked at Chattisgarh HC’s decision on marital rape case: ‘Yahi sunna baaki tha’

Actor Taapsee Pannu and singer Sona Mohapatra have expressed shock at Chattisgarh High Court’s ruling in a marital rape case. The HC discharged a 37-year-old man in a rape case filed against him by his wife after observing that sexual intercourse or any sexual act with a legally wedded wife is not rape even if done by force or against her wish.

Taapsee retweeted a news clip on the same on Twitter and wrote, “Bas ab yehi sunna baaki tha (This was all that was left to hear).” Sona wrote, “The sickness I feel reading this #India , is beyond anything I can write here.”

Justice NK Chandravanshi delivered the judgement on August 23 in a criminal revision plea filed by the man and his two family members, seeking to quash rape charge (against him) and other offences framed against them. As per the order, the survivor married the man, a native of Changorabhata in Raipur, in 2017. After a few days of marriage, the woman’s husband and her two in-laws allegedly started harassing her for dowry. The woman later lodged a complaint at the Bemetara police station of Bemetara district against the three.

“Counsel for the applicants submits that the complainant and the applicant No. 1 (man) are legally wedded wife and husband, therefore, none of the ingredients to constitute the offence punishable under Sections 376 and 377 of the IPC are spelt out against him, because, in India, marital rape is not recognised and the same is not an offence in view of Exception II of Section 375 of the IPC,” the HC said.

Earlier in March, Taapsee and Sona also spoke against the Supreme Court’s verdict in a rape case. A government servant was accused of raping a girl and in their hearing, the SC bench asked the accused if he was ‘willing to marry’ the girl. “Did someone ask the girl this question ? If she wants to marry her rapist !!!??? Is that a question !!!??? This is the solution or a punishment ? Plain simple DISGUST,” Taapsee had written in her tweet.

(With PTI inputs)