MADURAI: The caste Hindu youth who was arrested for allegedly exploiting a young Dalit woman sexually and making her pregnant, has agreed to marry her after attending the counseling session arranged by the Madurai Bench of Madras High Court here on Monday.
When inspector M Pugalenthi of Silaimaan police station produced the caste Hindu youth P Ramar before Justices Ramasubramanian and N Kirubakaran of the division Bench of Madras HC, the youth admitted that he loved Sundaravalli when they were studying in a city college in Madurai.
However when the Justice Ramasubramanian asked him whether he had physical relationship with Sundaravalli, who is now four months pregnant, Ramar tried to claim that he didn’t indulge in intercourse.
Taking serious note of the issue, the Judge warned Ramar stating that if he tried to hide the truth he would be spending the next 10 years in jail. As Ramar remained silent, Justice Ramasubramanian advised him and the girl to attend the counseling in the court.
Following the Judge’s order, the Court Registrar (Judicial) Elangovan, Deputy Registrar (Judicial) B P Rajitha and the petitioner counsel Kannan provided counselling.
First they heard them individually and then counselled them together. Though Ramar initially feared that his family wouldn’t accept them if he married Sundaravalli, he agreed to marry her after counsellors advised them to live independently.
When inspector M Pugalenthi again produced them before the Bench in the evening, Ramar agreed to marry her. Sundaravalli also agreed. Then the judges asked them to file their views in separate affidavits and posted the hearing for Wednesday.
Sundaravalli moved the Bench a couple of days ago with a habeas corpus petition seeking to rescue her husband who she alleged had been abducted by his family members after they beat both of them within a few hours after their marriage.