{
  "id": 551489,
  "title": "‘No self-respecting woman would claim rape unless it occurred’: Punjab High Court",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/11/no-self-respecting-woman-would-claim-rape-unless-it-occurred-punjab",
  "topic": "world",
  "section": "World",
  "published": "2026-08-11T09:42:30.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/legal-news/punjab-haryana-high-court-dera-head-rape-conviction-compensation-10828007/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Punjab and Haryana High Court has upheld the 2005 conviction of Dera head Dhanwant Singh for allegedly raping his disciple's daughter in 2000. The court observed that \"no self-respecting woman would come forward in a court to make a humiliating statement against her honour just to state herself as a rape victim unless the incident happened to her.\" The court also awarded Rs 6 lakh compensation to the victim and declined her plea to enhance the 10-year rigorous imprisonment to life imprisonment. The victim's family were devout followers of Singh, who was a religious preacher at the Dera. The court noted that rape is a crime committed within the confines of a room and cannot be corroborated by witnesses, as there would be no one to witness such an offence.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Punjab High Court upholds 2005 conviction of Dhanwant Singh for alleged 2000 rape.",
    "Court states no self-respecting woman would falsely claim rape unless incident occurred.",
    "Victim receives Rs 6 lakh compensation, 10-year sentence not enhanced to life."
  ],
  "editors_take": "The court's stance reinforces a traditional notion that a woman's testimony about rape requires corroborating evidence, potentially making it harder for victims to prove their cases in similar future trials.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}