An Uttar Pradesh panchayat offered to let off a man, accused of raping a married woman and fathering her child, in exchange for payment of Rs 1 lakh and a little over an acre of land to the victim's husband.
The shocking decision has been reported from UP's Bulandshahar district, about 500 km from here.
The accused had reportedly forced the victim, a resident of the same village as he, into a relationship with him. As a result, she became pregnant and delivered a child a few months ago.
The man, identified as Shiv Kumar, then claimed the child was his, and hence he should be given to him.
The woman also reportedly admitted that the child was Shiv Kumar's.
A panchayat was convened to settle the matter. After deliberating on the issue for several hours, the panchayat, a few days ago, directed Shiv Kumar to pay Rs 1 lakh and a little over an acre of land to the woman's husband as punishment for rape.
It also directed that the victim would, after the settlement was executed, live with Kumar with their child.