New Delhi/IBNS: In a bizarre scene inside a courtroom of the Supreme Court on Thursday, a rape convict, sentenced to 10 years of imprisonment, exchanged flowers with the survivor as the two expressed willingness to marry each other.

Directed by justices BV Nagarathna and Satish Chandra Sharma, the rape convict first proposed to the survivor, and the two gave flowers to each other amid applause from those present in the room.

The situation unfolded after the top court observed that the man and woman had "unequivocally" decided to get married.

The apex court then suspended the jail term awarded to the man by the Madras High Court last year.

"The details of their marriage shall be worked out by their respective parents and we hope that the marriage takes place as expeditiously as possible. In the above circumstances, we suspend the sentence and release the petitioner on bail," the court said in its order.

The judges said the man shall return to prison but be produced before the Sessions Court as early as possible.

"The concerned Sessions Court shall release him on bail, subject to such conditions as it may deem appropriate to impose," their order said.

What is the case?

The case dates back to 2021, when the woman accused the man of repeatedly raping her since 2016 under the false pretence of marriage commitment.

According to the First Information Report (FIR) registered against the man, the couple met on Facebook.

Both eventually entered into a physical relationship, and the man continuously assured the woman of marrying her. However, when the woman finally asked her partner to marry her, he refused, citing his mother's disapproval of the relationship.

When she approached cops, a trial court on September 5 last year convicted the man of repeated rape and fraud. It awarded him 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under section 376(2)(N) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for repeated rape, and two years of prison under section 417 of IPC for fraud.

The court said that taking into consideration the "sensitivity" of the matter, it initially directed both the parties as well as their parents and counsel to make an appearance in the chamber.

The accused approached the Madras High Court but failed to get any relief, prompting him to approach the Supreme Court.

"They have appeared before us in Chamber in the pre-lunch Session. We heard them. We passed over the matter so as to enable the petitioner and respondent No.2 (parties) to have a dialogue and inform the Court as to whether they are inclined to get engaged and be married to each other. In the post-lunch Session, the matter was again called in the Court hall," the order said.