A SPECIAL court rejected the bail application of a Bombay High Court lawyer booked for marrying and allegedly sexually abusing a minor. The accused was booked under IPC sections, including Section 376 (rape), as well as under the Protection of Children from Sexual Offences Act and the Prohibition of Child Marriage Act after the 17-year-old victim approached the Kalachowkie police in December. “From the record, there is no doubt that the applicant/accused is an advocate by profession and practicing in the honourable High Court. The age of the applicant/accused is 53 years. In spite of having the knowledge of law, the applicant/accused performed marriage with the minor girl of 14 years of age and kept forcible physical relationship with her,” the court said. In his bail plea, the accused claimed he was falsely implicated and that the 17-year-old was his “legally wedded wife”. He further said that charges of rape did not apply in the case. The prosecution had opposed the bail, stating that the accused had committed the offence despite having knowledge of law, and that statements of witnesses were yet to be recorded. In December, the victim had approached the police, saying the accused had married her when she was 14 years old. She had told the court that the marriage was arranged by her maternal grandparents, with whom she had been living since her mother was bedridden. She told police she had resisted the marriage, and that she intended to study further, but was forced to marry.