'Wash women's clothes': Bihar court's bail condition for rape accused

Patna, Sep 22 : A court in Bihar's Madhubani district has levied a unique condition for granting bail to a man accused of attempted rape - to wash and iron the clothes of 2,000 women.

Additional Sessions Judge, Jhanjarpur, Avinash Kumar placed this condition for bail to Lalan Kumar, a native of village under Laukaha police station.

Defence lawyer Parshuram Mishra said: "Lalan tried to rape a woman of his village in the night of April 17. The victim had lodged an FIR against the accused a day later and he was arrested on April 19. Since then, he has been in jail."

"We filed a bail application in the ADJ court. During hearing of the case, the judge, in view of his good behavior in jail and apology in the court, has given bail to my client on the condition of washing the clothes of 2,000 women of the village, and pressing them, before handing it over to respective women," he added.

The court has also sent the copy of bail to village head Nasima Khatoon to keep a tab on his daily free service. Lalan Kumar will have to purchase detergent powder, soap, and irons.

"This was a great decision by the court. it will give a message to respect women and also create guilt in the mind of men having anti-female nature," Nasima Khatoon said.

"I will personally monitor the daily work of the accused to implement the court order. Our village has 425 women and every woman will give clothes in rotation until the 2,000 number is achieved," she added.

She will submit her report of Lalan's assigned service, which he has to complete in six months, and then obtain certificates from her and local police station to submit in the court.