The Supreme Court has ruled that the collapse of a consensual relationship cannot be turned into a criminal matter, quashing a case where a man was accused of sexual assault under the pretext of marriage.
“A mere breakup between consenting adults cannot justify criminal proceedings,” the bench observed, underscoring that consensual relationships, even if they don’t culminate in marriage, must not be given a “color of criminality.”
The case originated from a 2019 complaint where a woman alleged that the man had coerced her into repeated sexual relations with false promises of marriage and had also threatened her family. However, the Supreme Court noted inconsistencies in the allegations, emphasizing that the relationship appeared consensual and devoid of any initial promise of marriage.
The court remarked, “An examination of the FIR and subsequent statements shows no evidence that the relationship began under any assurance of marriage. Both individuals, being educated adults, engaged in a consensual relationship without coercion.”
The Delhi High Court had earlier allowed the case to proceed, but the Supreme Court found no grounds to support charges under Sections 376(2)(n) (repeated rape) or 506 (criminal intimidation) of the Indian Penal Code. The bench noted that continuing prosecution would amount to an abuse of the judicial process.
Concluding that the allegations lacked credibility and the legal criteria for criminal offenses were unmet, the Supreme Court quashed the FIR, setting aside the High Court’s decision.
This decision highlights the court’s stance on preventing misuse of criminal law in personal disputes arising from failed relationships.
