The court has now posted the matter for cross-examination of all prosecution witnesses by the defence counsel on July 12. Other prosecution witnesses, including several of the couple’s friends and close contacts, will appear before court on July 17 and 18 and record their statements.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Manisha Khurana Kakkar said the prosecution had placed on record “sufficient material” and prima facie, a case was made out against the accused.
Though live-in relationships do not have any legal restrictions in India, the stigma around such cohabitation is huge, and it is women who are blamed more than men if something goes wrong.