After Madras HC granted bail to a rapist on the condition that he go to the mediation centresettle the matter, the victim spoke out against the verdict.

After the Madras High Court on Tuesday granted interim bail to a rapist on the condition that he mediates with the victim, the woman spoke out against the verdict and said she did not want to marry the rapist.

"I am not ready to talk to him or marry him," a CNN-IBN report quoted the victim as saying.

The victim also reportedly asked why the court was asking her to settle the matter with the victim after so many years.

A mahila court in Cuddalore district of Tamil Nadu had found a man called V Mohan guilty of raping the minor girl. Besides imposing a Rs 2 lakh fine, the court had also sentenced him to seven years in prison.

The victim was an orphan who was living with her adoptive mother. She had become pregnant after the rape and had delivered a child.

After the mahila court verdict, Mohan had appealed to the Madras High Court for bail. On Tuesday, the Madras High Court judge Justice P Devadass granted interim bail to the rapist so that he could 'mediate' with the victim.

Justice P Devadass, holding that alternative dispute resolution such as mediation is now being used in criminal cases, had said, "In fact, even in Islam, Hinduism and Christianity there are instances of solving the disputes in a non- belligerent manner. The result of it is very good because there is no victor, no vanquished."

Granting interim bail to the accused Mohan, the judge in his order had said that he has already referred a similar matter in February for mediation which has yielded a good result and nearing happy resolution.

"The victim-girl has become mother of a child. But as on date, she is nobody's wife. So, she is an unwed mother. Now there is a big question mark looming large before the girl as well as her child, who is completely innocent

"Generally, in this type of cases, the girl concerned is stated to be a victim, but really speaking the child born out of such a physical contact is also a victim. The child is a victim of circumstances. She had born to suffer a social stigma for no fault of hers. It is a great tragedy," the judgement had said.

As Firstpost had earlier pointed out,'mediation' is not the right approach in a criminal offence as heinous as rape, especially after the victim herself has now said that she does not want mediation in the case.

(With inputs from PTI)