New Delhi: The Supreme Court has ruled that a man cannot be charged with rape solely on the basis of an unfulfilled promise of marriage if the couple was in a long-term live-in relationship.
A bench comprising Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta made the ruling while quashing rape charges against a bank manager accused by his live-in partner of 16 years, a lecturer, of establishing sexual relations under false assurances of marriage. The court emphasized that both individuals were educated and engaged in a consensual relationship.
The ruling stated that a prolonged 16-year relationship undermines claims of deceit or coercion. The court observed that the woman never raised objections earlier and continued the relationship despite alleged false promises. It noted that such cases often stem from relationships that turned sour rather than genuine instances of sexual exploitation.
The judgment reinforces the legal distinction between coercion and consensual long-term relationships, adding a significant precedent to similar cases in the future.
