Court Distinguishes Between a False Promise of Marriage From the Beginning and Regret After a Breakup; Warns Against Misuse of Criminal Laws
New Delhi: The Supreme Court has made significant observations regarding allegations of rape arising from failed consensual relationships. The court clarified that when a relationship begins with mutual consent and later breaks down, the breakup or subsequent regret alone cannot be grounds for treating the relationship as rape.
A bench comprising Justice B.V. Nagarathna and Justice R. Mahadevan highlighted the distinction between making a false promise of marriage with dishonest intentions from the very beginning and a consensual relationship that eventually comes to an end. The court observed that if a promise of marriage was false from the outset and made with the intention of obtaining sexual consent, the legal position could be different. However, regret, disappointment or bitterness after a breakup cannot automatically turn a consensual relationship into a criminal offence.
The Supreme Court also emphasized the importance of individual liberty and personal freedom, warning against the misuse of serious criminal laws in disputes arising from failed relationships. The court underlined that rape is an extremely serious offence that violates a woman's bodily autonomy and dignity. It stressed the need to protect genuine victims while ensuring that criminal proceedings are not misused to settle personal scores following the breakdown of a relationship.
