The High Court (HC) on Thursday granted one-year bail to a person convicted in a rape case after he married the victim at Rajshahi jail gate.

The High Court division virtual bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Md Mostafizur Rahman passed the order, granting bail to convict Dilip Khalko.

On October 22, when the court was hearing the bail plea of the convict, the defence counsel said the petitioner is ready to marry the victim and she also has no problem in marrying him. After that the court ordered the Rajshahi jail superintendent to arrange the marriage and submit a report on the matter within 30 days.

Following the court’s order, the marriage took place at the jail gate on December 5 and the authorities concerned submitted the report later.

After receiving the report, the court today granted one-year bail to the convict Dilip, saying the bail would be cancelled if he misuses it.

According to the case documents, Dilip Khalko of Godagari upazila of Rajshahi was in a relation with his maternal cousin (victim) and they had physical relations. As a result, the girl got pregnant. But Dilip refused to marry her, making the victim file the case with Godagari Police Station on October 25, 2011.

Rajshahi Women and Children Repression Prevention Tribunal on January 29, 2012, framed charges in the case and after hearing the case, the court on June 12, 2012, sentenced Dilip Khalko to life imprisonment and fined him Taka 50 thousand.

Dilip has been in jail since 2012.

Earlier on November 30, the same High Court (HC) bench passed identical order after a Feni rape accused married his victim at jail gate.