Court Clears Accused in Alleged Rape Case: Consensual Relationship Leading to Marriage Cited

In a recent ruling, the Supreme Court dismissed charges against an accused-appellant accused of raping a 25-year-old woman under the pretext of marriage. The court, on January 3, asserted that the physical relationship was consensual and ultimately led to marriage, debunking the claim of a false promise.

Justices Abhay S. Oka and Pankaj Mithal highlighted that the allegations lacked substance, as the relationship between the accused and the victim resulted in a solemnized marriage. The court went further to express its opinion that the accusations presented in the case were insufficient to justify proceedings against the appellant.

The case originated from a complaint filed by the victim’s father, who accused the appellant, an IIT coaching class operator in Delhi, of maintaining a physical relationship with his daughter through fraudulent means. The appellant, allegedly promising marriage, even produced a marriage certificate from Arya Samaj Mandir. Subsequently, the victim was left at her father’s residence, prompting the filing of a complaint.

The appellant’s counsel presented a notice from the victim’s advocate during the Supreme Court proceedings, wherein the victim admitted to the solemnization of the marriage. In the notice, the victim also claimed she was ousted from the matrimonial home over a demand for Rs. 50 lakhs by the appellant’s father.

Taking into account the notice and the victim’s statement before the police officer acknowledging the marriage, the court concluded that the relationship was consensual and culminated in marriage. Consequently, the court quashed the FIR in favor of the appellant in the case of Ajeet Singh vs. State of Uttar Pradesh (Diary No.- 42857 – 2016).