Terming the marriage proposal of the rapist in Shanti Mukund case an "atrocious" act, the National Commission for Women on Wednesday said a rapist should not be allowed to make a marriage offer to the victim.
"Without prejudicing the court hearing in the case, the commission is of the view that rapists should not be allowed to make a marriage proposal to the victim," NCW member Nirmala Sitaraman said.
She said the development in the case will have an implication on all rape-related cases.
She added convict Bhura's marriage offer could set a wrong precedence.
"The rapist should face the court, bear the punishment that is given to him. It is not for him to make marriage offers. The marriage offer, coming after such a gruesome rape, is atrocious," Sitaraman said.
"It is clear that the offer is only a ploy to try and get the punishment diluted. And also to be noted is that the offer came on the very day that the sentence was to be pronounced," she added.
The commission had made a strong intervention in the Shanti Mukund episode, giving a number of recommendations to both the Centre and the state governments on how to ensure safety of women in hospitals.