Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Kamini Lau convicted 27-year-old Rohit Kumar Dass after for kidnapping the girl but acquitted him of the charges of raping her.
For kidnapping the girl, ASJ Lau sentenced Rohit to five months 20 days in jail, but set it off against his actual imprisonment undergone during the trial.
"The convict (Rohit) is a young boy of 27 years with no criminal background. This is in fact an unfortunate case where the love affair has gone wrong and any harsh view would ruin the future of the convict," said ASJ Lau.
"This being the background, I hold that the interest of justice would suffice if Rohit Kumar Dass is sentenced to rigorous imprisonment for the period already undergone i.E. five months and 20 days and fine of Rs 1,000 for the offence under Section 363 (kidnapping) of the Indian Penal Code," she added.
The court said the 16-year-old girl had gone with Rohit on her own accord and they were residing together as husband and wife from November 2007 till February 2008.
"It is also evident that the girl had 'sindoor' (vermilion) on her forehead and was also wearing 'mangalsutra' (a sacred thread worn by married woman) at that time and had also told the investigating officer that she had married the accused," the court said.