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Karnataka High Court directs ₹75,000 monthly support to rape victim, grants interim stay

The Karnataka High Court directed a petitioner accused of repeated rape on false promise of marriage to pay ₹75,000 per month towards the sustenance of the victim and their 10-month-old child, while granting an interim stay on further criminal proceedings. The order was issued by Justice M Nagaprasanna after hearing a writ petition filed by the 22-year-old engineer student.

Why It Matters

The decision emphasizes financial support for the victim and child in a sensitive case, while temporarily halting criminal proceedings. It signals judicial balancing of the accused's status as a student with the needs of the child.

Timeline

1 Event

Karnataka High Court orders maintenance and stays proceedings

April 24, 2026

The High Court of Karnataka, while hearing a writ petition filed by Srikrishna J Rao, directed the petitioner accused of repeated rape on false promise of marriage to pay ₹75,000 monthly towards the sustenance of the victim and their 10-month-old child. 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 granted an interim stay on further criminal proceedings pending in a sessions court in Mangaluru under the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita. The bench noted the victim's financial vulnerability and her premature assumption of motherhood. The petitioner is stated to be the biological father. The order also directed the victim, her family, and relatives to refrain from engaging with the media until the case concludes. The matter is scheduled for further hearing on June 5, 2026.