New Delhi, A rape accused was released on bail by a Delhi court after it came to know that the woman was married but had hidden this fact from him and there were money transactions between them for a long time.

The court asked accused Kaushal Sanklecha to file a bail bond of Rs 10,000 with a surety of like amount and released him on bail.

Advocate Sanjeev Malik, who was appearing for Sanklecha, claimed that the woman had extorted around Rs 52 lakh from his client and was attempting to extort more money.

Arguing that it was a case of consensual sex, he also claimed that accused was given extortion threats by complainant and her husband. He further argued that accused did not know from day one that complainant is married.

"So, it was the accused who was cheated by the complainant. Besides that, accused has transferred Rs 52 lakh to the complainant on different occasions as demanded by her. In these circumstances, the accused deserves bail. He will abide by all the terms and conditions of bail, if granted and prayed for bail of accused," he said.

The court noted that relationship between them started from January 1, 2021 while the FIR was registered on February 27, 2022 with the Greater Kailash Police Station and the accused was held on March 1.

"Considering the aforesaid peculiar circumstances, accused Kushal Sanklecha is granted bail on his furnishing sound surety bond in the sum of Rs 10,000," the court noted while telling him not to threaten the complainant and other prosecution witnesses or tamper with evidence collected by police.