SC: No rape claim in long-term live-in Relationships
The Supreme Court ruled that a woman cannot claim rape based on a false promise of marriage if she was in a long-term live-in relationship. A bench of Justices Vikram Nath and Sandeep Mehta quashed the rape case against a bank manager, accused by his partner of 16 years, a lecturer. The court said both were educated adults in a consensual relationship.
The woman alleged the man exploited her by falsely promising marriage. However, the court noted their frequent visits despite living in different towns and called it a “live-in relationship gone sour.” It questioned why she stayed silent for 16 years if she was being deceived.
The court ruled that the prolonged relationship indicated no coercion or deceit. It emphasized that claims of forced sexual relations based solely on a marriage promise lose credibility over time. Even if the man made such a promise, the woman’s continued involvement undermined her argument.
The court stressed that such allegations should be carefully scrutinized, as prolonged cohabitation suggests mutual consent rather than force. It warned against misusing rape laws in complex relationships where both parties willingly stayed together.
