Rape charges dropped,excise official gets bail

In her complainant filed on October 31,2008,the resident of Sector 20 had alleged that when Pardeep,posted at Karnal at that time,married her in 2004,he did not tell her about his first marriage and two children. After she came to know of it four years later,she added,Pradeep allegedly threatened her.

After preliminary investigation,the Sector 20 police registered a case under Section 376 of the IPC (rape) against the accused on November 28. “Despite efforts,Pradeep could not get an anticipatory bail. On March 25,he surrendered before the Panchkula crime branch and was sent to judicial custody,” said a police officer.

Then on June 25,the police filed a chargsheet,converting the rape charges to that of bigamy. Talking to Newsline,an officer said: “Investigations showed it was a case of bigamy and a case under Section 495 of the IPC was registered.”