Supreme Court Quashes Criminalization of Consensual Relationships

The Supreme Court has quashed an FIR against a man accused of rape, shedding light on the trend of criminalizing long-term consensual relationships. The court emphasized the importance of differentiating between consensual relationships and those based on false promises of marriage, highlighting the nuances in legal interpretations.

The Supreme Court has set a precedent by quashing an FIR against a man accused of rape and cheating in the context of a long-term consensual relationship. The ruling underscores a concerning legal trend to criminalize such relationships when they go sour.

Notably, the relationship lasted nine years, and the court highlighted the ramifications of attributing criminality to relationships that end poorly. The decision came from Justices B V Nagarathna and N Kotiswar Singh, who noted a surge in similar cases reaching the courts.

The woman alleged that the man offered false promises of marriage. However, the court observed that the prolonged physical relationship likely indicated mutual consent rather than deception. The ruling allows for further legal remedies for the complainant but removes the criminal charges against the man.

(With inputs from agencies.)