In a contentious ruling, the Bombay High Court’s Kolhapur bench granted pre-arrest bail to a 26-year-old male farmer from Solapur, Maharashtra, accused of forcibly marrying and raping his 14-year-old female niece. Justice Shivkumar Dige’s decision on September 9, 2025, has fueled outrage over child safety lapses. The horror began on February 29, 2024, when the girl’s parents arranged the illegal union, breaching Hindu law prohibiting uncle-niece marriages. The accused exploited her minor status, committing repeated assaults under the POCSO Act.
The case escalated when, on March 12, 2025, after eloping with her boyfriend, the girl accused her “husband” of rape and child marriage following her arrest on the boyfriend’s wife’s FIR. Defense argued the year-long delay and retaliatory motive, while prosecutor PP Devkar insisted on custody due to ongoing trauma. Citing the filed chargesheet and the boyfriend’s bail, Justice Dige ruled custody unnecessary.
As of September 12, 2025, this verdict exposes legal gaps, sparking demands for reforms to shield minors from familial abuse and ensure timely justice over delayed claims.
