$~P-10 * IN THE HIGH COURT OF DELHI AT NEW DELHI Reserved on 27.02.2026 Pronounced on 03.03.2026 Uploaded on 03.03.2026 + BAIL APPLN. 4593/2025 VINEET SOROUT .....Petitioner Through: Mr. Abhay Kumar, Mr. Shagun Ruhil and Mr. Karan Chopra, Advocates.

versus STATE NCT OF DELHI .....Respondent Through: Ms. Manjeet Arya, APP.

SI Sujata and SI Sachin, PS:

Khajuri Khas.

Mr. Vishal Chaudhary, Advocate for the prosecutrix alongwith the prosecutrix on VC.

CORAM:

HON’BLE MR. JUSTICE PRATEEK JALAN JUDGMNET

1. By way of this application, the petitioner seeks anticipatory bail in connection with FIR No. 401/2025, dated 09.10.2025, registered under Sections 376(2)(n)/506 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860 [“IPC”], lodged at Police Station Khajuri Khas, Delhi.

2. I have heard Mr. Abhay Kumar, learned counsel for the petitioner, Ms. Manjeet Arya, learned Additional Public Prosecutor, and Mr. Vishal Chaudhary, learned counsel for the prosecutrix.

3. The prosecution has also filed a status report, and the prosecutrix has filed a reply to the application.

4. The prosecution’s case, as stated in the status report filed before this Court, may be summarised as follows:

A. The petitioner came into contact with the prosecutrix in 2021, through Instagram, as she used to run an online cosmetic and garments business, and he used to purchase goods from her. Consequently, both developed a friendship and started talking regularly.

B. In June 2021, the petitioner visited the prosecutrix’s house, met her family members, and expressed his desire to marry her. In response to an inquiry by the prosecutrix’s family, the petitioner and his sister, one Sandhya, stated that they had no demands in respect of the prospective marriage. On this assurance, the prosecutrix and her family agreed to the marriage.

C. On 21.05.2023, when the prosecutrix was alone at her house, the petitioner came to her house, and on the false promise of marriage, established physical relations with her. She further states that when she expressed distress, the petitioner reassured her that they will perform an engagement ceremony after consulting his sister.

D. The petitioner was employed in the Army, and whenever he got leave, he used to take the prosecutrix to a hotel and establish physical relations with her on the false pretext of marriage. She alleged that he used to provide different IDs at the hotel. During this period, the petitioner recorded explicit pictures and videos of the prosecutrix in his mobile phone, without her knowledge.

E. Owing to the prosecutrix’s repeated requests regarding marriage, the petitioner and his sister fixed a date for engagement as 01.05.2024, and the ceremony was accordingly held. They also fixed a date for the marriage on 18.11.2025.

F. Even after the engagement, the petitioner used to take the prosecutrix to hotels and establish physical relations on the assurance of marriage. She specifically refers to an incident in March 2025, when the petitioner informed the prosecutrix about his trip to Assam upon completion of his leave, and took her to a hotel in Ballabhgarh, Haryana, and again established physical relations with her.

G. After this incident of March 2025, the petitioner stopped communicating with the prosecutrix. When she contacted him, the petitioner and his sister demanded Rs. 10,00,000/-, as dowry for solemnisation of the marriage.

H. Later, the prosecutrix found that the petitioner had, in fact, fixed his marriage elsewhere and had already performed an engagement. When she confronted the petitioner for exploiting her on the false pretext of marriage, the petitioner threatened her with uploading her explicit photos and videos on social media and ruining her life.

I. On 04.09.2025, the petitioner and his sister, alongwith 2-3 other people, came to meet the prosecutrix, during which the petitioner assaulted her and fled. She states that she thereafter called the police, and an NCR No. 58/2025, dated 06.09.2025, was registered at Police Station Khajuri Khas.

J. Based