Criminal courts are not meant to recover your money. That was the reasoning a Panvel court used this week to grant bail to a man accused of cheating a woman he met on a matrimonial site of Rs 11 lakh and of sexual assault on false promise of marriage.

“If the age of the victim is considered then she is major and a working lady which shows that she has sufficient maturity and understanding. Criminal courts are not expected to recover amounts and for recovery of money given to applicant (accused) can take appropriate course of law. Only for the reason that amount is to be recovered from the applicant and statement of witnesses are to be recorded, same would not be a reasonable ground to reject the bail application,” special judge S C Shinde said in an order passed on April 8.

The woman had met the accused on a matrimonial website in 2025. He promised marriage, following which they had a sexual relationship. Over the months, he took Rs 11 lakh from her on various pretexts. She had taken a personal loan to give him the money. When he subsequently refused to return it, or to marry her, she filed a complaint. She told police she was under severe mental stress due to the debt.

The accused was arrested on February 15, 2026 and had been in custody for 45 days when he sought bail, claiming false implication.

The court noted that the complaint was filed only in February 2026, while the alleged sexual assault took place in November 2025, and said the delay had not been explained.

“Applicant was arrested on February 15, 2026 and since then he is behind bars. Bail is the rule and jail is the exception. Object of bail cannot be ignored. Bail cannot be withheld as punishment,” the court said.